Defending champions of the 2023 Rooster Chicken/Scoops Premium Ice Cream Battle of the Giants, Extra Supermarket Labasa football side have a lot to do if they are to take the title back to the North this year.
This after the Babasiga Lions were beaten by a single goal in their first match against Extra Supermarket Rewa at Nadi’s Prince Charles Park yesterday.
Labasa were reduced to 10-man when defender Akeimi Ralulu was sent off for throwing a punch on Suva midfielder Iosefo Verevou in the first spell.
Despite going a man down, Labasa tried hard to spring attacks on Rewa’s goal but the Delta Tigers defenders stood tall protecting their goal.
The teams rested tied nil-all at half time.
Rewa got its goal through captain Setareki Hughes who fired in a shot from the right flank which Labasa stopper Simione Tamanisau could not keep out. Hughes led by example and carefully guided his brigade as they secured their first three points of the tournament.
The Delta Tigers were beaten 1-nil by Suva on the opening day. For Labasa, they will need to avoid a defeat against high flying Suva today to avoid being bundled out of the tournament.
Labasa team manager Ravinesh Chand said his team will make a comeback in their second match.
“Going down to 10 players really affected us. No complaints though, we will regroup and come back stronger to try and keep our hopes of a place in the semi-finals alive,” said Chand.
Hughes said for Rewa, there’s a lot of work left to be done.
“One win and a loss. There’s lots to be done. We have a very important game against Ba coming up and and we need to get a result there to progress to the semis,” said Hughes.
Rewa plays Ba at 4pm today while Labasa takes on Suva at 10am.
