Two goals in four second half minutes from Josaia Sela saw the Rewa football side hold defending champion Auckland City to a 2-all draw in the opening match of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Champions League in Tahiti yesterday.
Rewa applied early pressure in the second spell, but it was the New Zealand side which got the first goal. Auckland City captain Cam Howieson got the opener in the 50th minute after a lapse of concentration in the Rewa defence.
Sela scored two screamers from long range efforts in the 62 and 65 minutes to see Rewa take a 2-1 lead.
The experience of Ryan de Vries from the bench saw Auckland City equalise in the 67th minute.
Both teams had their share of opportunities to get a winner but failed to do so.
An emotional Rewa coach Rodicks Singh dedicated the performance to all mothers in Fiji.
“Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in Fiji. Mothers of the players, mothers of the officials. I know you were expecting us to win but this is what we could give you and I hope you are happy with it,” Singh said.
Rewa plays the Solomon Warriors in its next match at 1pm on Wednesday.
