Published in The Fiji Times on Wednesday, April 19, 1995
SUVA players were reminded of the 4-1 thrashing they dished out to Labasa in January to fire them up for the Fiji FA Cup Tournament (Fiji FACT) final on Monday.
Yesterday Suva coach/player Maritino Nemani said he sent in his players against Labasa with the message that it could be done again.
While the 4-0 win stunned soccer fans at Subrail Park, Labasa and across the country, Nemani was the least bit surprised.
“Labasa is a fast and skilful team but we denied them possession and slowed the game down which killed them,” he said yesterday.
The Capital City side was greeted by scores of fans at Nausori Airport yesterday.
Suva’s win was its first in eight years and the biggest ever in the final of the tournament.
The team was celebrating at vice-president Sudar Moti Sukhu’s residence in Suva last night.
But Labasa president Peter Nand was yesterday calling for an internal investigation into the final.
Nand and the rest of his officials are shocked, not so much by the loss as by the 4-0 margin.
He said there was a lot of talk that some players gave the game away.
“This is a fact of soccer not just in Fiji but across the world and we can’t ignore it. We have to act.”
“Four goals against Labasa in 60 minutes is impossible.”
Nand pointed out that in earlier rounds, Labasa beat Suva 2-0 and Rewa 1-0 in the semifinal.
He said he would have accepted a loss to Rewa as it had a better defence than Suva.
“The final is the worst I’ve ever seen. The team didn’t want to play. Even Nadogo would have played better,” he said of the bottom-of-the-heap Premier Division side.
Labasa won the league in 1991 for the first time and followed with its Fiji FACT win in 1992 and the Inter-District in 1992 and 1994.
“This is my worst loss,” Nand said. “I’ve been getting calls every day. Labasa people love soccer and they are very concerned.”
All 22 Labasa squad members will be called to a meeting on Saturday where the $2000 prize will be distributed.
Nand said that’s where they hope to get at the bottom of the issue. “We will know after the meeting which players will remain within the squad.”
But Nemani said there was nothing sinister about Suva’s win. “People say a lot of things when the results are negative.”
“As far as Suva is concerned, we won the game fair and square.”
Nemani, who has been playing for Suva for over 10 years, said Suva was also very disciplined and determined to win.
“We went in there with the right attitude and approach,” he said.
Suva’s last major win was at the 1988 Battle of the Giants tournament where it beat Ba 6-5 on penalty kicks.
Nemani said it was fitting to note that Tevita Lasaqa was the goalkeeper in the win over Ba and his younger brother William Lasaqa was the goalkeeper in the Labasa win.
Suva is planning a celebration on Saturday at the Suva Civic Centre.
