THE Fiji under-15 football team wrapped up their campaign at the OFC U15 Development Tournament in Wellington, New Zealand with a strong finish.
The team played five matches, recording three wins, one draw and one loss.
Fiji started the tournament with a 0-1 loss to Solomon Islands.
They bounced back with a 2-0 win over NZFFI U15, followed by a convincing 5-0 win against Vanuatu.
They drew 3-3 with New Caledonia before ending their campaign with a dominant 7-0 victory over Papua New Guinea.
Head coach Marika Rodu said the boys performed well and learned a lot during the tournament.
“The boys enjoyed. They felt good and they learnt a lot from this development tournament,” Rodu said.
He said the focus was not only on results, but also on building performance and gaining experience.
“Yes, obviously to win. But we made sure we focus on performance.”
Rodu added that there were no major challenges during the trip.
“The weather was fine. The boys experienced playing on artificial turf. The tournament organisation was great.”
The tournament featured nine teams from across the Oceania region.
Rodu said it was the second edition for the Fiji U15 boys and a valuable experience for the players.
He said the next step was to prepare for the U16 competition next year and build on the lessons from this tour.
“To come back in the next tournament prepared to get results.”
Rodu also acknowledged the support of parents throughout the process.
“Some parents travelled with the team and that was encouraging.”
