A new champion of the BiC Fiji Fact will be crowned today at Subrail Park.
This after last year’s winner Labasa bowed out of the tournament following a 1-0 defeat to Ba in a tense semi-final clash yesterday.
Both sides were locked at nil-all after the mandatory 90 minutes in a tightly contested encounter that saw few clear scoring opportunities and strong defensive structures from both teams.
However, Ba broke the deadlock in extra time as Etonia Dogalau blastered in the winner in the first spell of extra time.
Ba coach Ravinesh Kumar praised his side’s effort and mental strength under pressure.
“I believe in keeping faith and hope in the players, and they will do their best in the final,” he said.
Kumar said player fitness was a concern during the match, showing the need for better recovery management.
“I will say there were quite a few cramps among the players. We need to look into that as well as hydration and mineral intake are very important.
“That is something we must address now as we go into recovery.”
He said Labasa gave tough competition and pushed Ba to their limits.
“With all due respect to Labasa, they are one of the strongest teams.
“I have also coached them before, so I know their quality and attitude.
“Labasa has pushed us to another level today. They are a very good side, and beating them is something commendable.”
Ba will now shift their focus to the final as they aim to lift the Fiji FACT title after a hard-fought semi-final victory.
