A NEW champion will be crowned in the 2026 Extra Battle of the Giants tournament after defending champions Extra Supermarket Labasa FC were bundled out of the competition yesterday.
Labasa defeated Blue Gas Navua FC 2-1 in their final Group A match at 4R Stadium in Govind Park, Ba but the result was not enough to secure the four-goal margin they needed to qualify for the semi-finals.
The defending champions’ exit opened the door for underdogs Nasinu FC, who finished runners-up in Group A to book their place in the last four.
Global Care Suva FC topped the group and secured the other semi-final spot from Group A and face Ba.
Nasinu will now face Rewa FC in the semi-final next Saturday.
Nasinu head coach Abunesh Kapur was proud of the effort from his players, who fought hard to keep their tournament campaign alive.
“Good game from my captain and the boys. They worked together and put in a lot of effort.
“We thank our fans and families for their support,” Kapur said.
Suva head coach Pita Rabo also acknowledged the commitment of his players, saying their hard work over the past seven weeks had helped the side reach the semi-finals.
Rewa coach-player Tevita Waranivalu echoed the sentiments, saying the semi-final would be a difficult encounter and his side would have to be at its best to progress to the final.
The fourth semi-final spot was to be decided in the final match of the day between Dayals Steels Ba FC and Khelvin Realtors Lautoka FC.
The host side defeated neighbour Lautoka 3-1 in the last group match last night.
