Extra Supermarket Rewa is making their second appearance in the OFC Champions League after their 3-2 dramatic victory against Lautoka at Churchill Park yesterday.
Rewa is placed in Group A of the OFC Champions League in Tahiti in May alongside the winners of the respective national playoffs from the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand.
Despite heavy rain, a sizable crowd turned out to witness the exciting match, eager to see which team would earn the opportunity to travel to Papeete.
Rewa’s head coach Rodeck Singh silenced his critics with a strong performance.
“Our Group A is very tough, and we have time to prepare, and we want to prepare well and represent Fiji well, we want to make our district and country proud. A lot of work to be done,” Singh said.
Lautoka dominated for large parts of the first half, and scored the only goal of the half in the 18th minute, with a long-range diving header from Saula Waqa, from a free kick delivered by Kishan Sami.
The second half saw Rewa pushing hard for an equaliser. It finally came in the 71st minute, with Samu Kautoga heading into the back of the net from a free kick on the edge of the box.
In the 82nd minute a strike from Rewa captain Setareki Hughes saw a deflection for an own goal to send Rewa ahead. Lautoka’s woes were increased with Waqa getting a second yellow card in the 89th minute.
The match was sent into extra time after a 95th minute penalty was awarded to Lautoka and was calmly slotted home by Epeli Leiroti to level the scores at 2-2.
Rewa were awarded a penalty in the 10th minute of extra time and Hughes scored the winning goal.
“We fell short but we are not out, we have to prepare for other local competitions,” Lautoka coach Babz Khan said.
