Defending 2026 Extra Battle of the Giants champions Labasa FC stamped their authority on day one of the tournament after edging Nasinu FC 1-0 at the 4R Stadium at Govind Park in Ba yesterday.
The Babasiga Lions struck in the first half through Joseph Joe and held on firmly in the second half to secure all three points.
Labasa created several opportunities to extend its lead, but Nasinu’s young side showed determination and resilience to keep the defending champions at bay.
Labasa head coach Alvin Chand was satisfied with the result, admitting that defending the title away from home would be a tough challenge.
“We won in Labasa last year and this year we are here in Ba. It will be tough to defend, but we are looking forward to it.
“I thank my boys. We managed to get the three points. The first game is always tough in tournaments and the result can go either way, but we managed to get the win,” Chand said.
Nasinu head coach Abunesh Kapur was proud of his young players despite the narrow defeat.
“It was unfortunate, but I’m proud of my team. We have a young team, and six of them are U20 players,” Kapur said.
