MAURITIUS will use the Three Nations FIFA International Friendly against New Caledonia and Vodafone Fiji as a buildup for the Indian Ocean Island Games which the country will host in July.
The team arrived yesterday after 24 hour journey via Hong Kong.
Mauritius has a FIFA world ranking of 156 and is 13 places ahead of Fiji on 169.
The side has a mixture of youth and experience but has left out all of its foreign-based players some of whom ply their trade in Cyprus, Greece and France.
Mauritius coach Akbar Patel who guided the team to victory at the 2003 Indian Ocean Island Games said this trip was about giving the local-based players exposure and a chance to prove themselves to get into the final squad for the Indian Ocean Island Games.
“We haven’t brought in our foreign based players because they are not eligible for the Indian Ocean Island Games,” Patel said.
“This is why we have brought the local players and it will give them exposure.
We have come here to learn and expect the boys to give a good fight.
“We want to play good football and to win of course.”
Patel said they had very less knowledge about the playing styles of New Caledonia and Fiji. He said it would be difficult playing away from home.
“We have had a long travel but we will try and give our best,” Patel said. “I haven’t selected the team for the Indian Ocean Island Games yet.
“The boys will have to deliver. “Some players who haven’t made the trip are back at home so these boys know that they have to take their chances.
“From these games I will see if they can have a place in the team or some others will take up their positions.”
Mauritius will take on New Caledonia at 3pm at Churchill Park in Lautoka tomorrow. New Caledonia has a FIFA ranking of 154. Patel said the conditions in Fiji were similar to Mauritius.
“Just before coming I had a glance at their (Fiji, New Caledonia) FIFA rankings and it is almost the same as us and there is not much difference,” he said. “Therefore I would say that we are on the same level.
“The environment here is like Mauritius. I think we are on the same latitude.
“The time and the rising sun seems the same, the temperatures are the same because this is also an island. “We feel like almost at home.”
Fiji and Mauritius will clash at Churchill Park at 3pm on Sunday.
