THE Fiji Junior Bula Boys under-19 was outplayed by New Zealand 2-0 yesterday in their second match of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) U19 Championship in Samoa.
Fiji head coach Marika Rodu has praised his players for their effort against New Zealand but says they must improve their execution and discipline ahead of their final group match against Haiti.
The coach said Fiji knew it would not have much possession and tried to remain compact for most of the match.
He described the first half as a gallant effort but acknowledged the difficulty of adapting to New Zealand’s changes after halftime.
“The boys continued to fight, but at the same time, I could see that the boys gave their best to compete in the game today,” he said.
Fiji created several opportunities in the first half but failed to finish them.
“It’s more the execution bit and the concentration and discipline to really finish off the chances,” he said.
The coach said the players felt confident at halftime and that the match provided valuable emotional growth.
“For us, the benchmark is New Zealand,” he said.
With Fiji’s semifinal hopes still alive, he said the team would focus on managing the game against Tahiti and following its training.
“Obviously, the win is the focus,” he said.
He also thanked supporters back home for their continued support and urged them to keep backing the team for the remainder of the tournament.
