THE Extra Supermarket & Dayals Fiji Primary Schools IDC is serving up exciting under-14 football in Ba, with young players chasing goals and fighting for knockout places in the four-day tournament, which began on Tuesday and runs until Friday
For Dayals Sawmillers managing director and Ba Football Association president Praneel Dayal, however, the tournament is about more than results, offering young players a platform to develop their talent and pursue their football dreams.
Speaking at Tuesday’s official opening, Dayal urged players to compete with pride, respect and belief in their abilities.
“Play with pride, compete with respect, and never stop believing in your potential,” he said.
Matches are being played at Four R Stadium at Govind Park, the Fiji FA Academy grounds and Ba Muslim School, giving budding footballers opportunities to showcase their skills.
Tuesday’s opening matches saw North West Nadroga, Labasa, Suva and Lautoka make strong starts in the boys’ division, each recording two victories.
North West Nadroga led Pool A with a 7–0 thrashing of Taveuni before edging Nalawa 1–0. Labasa also impressed, beating Nasinu 3–1 and Navosa 3–0.
In Pool B, Suva edged Rewa 1–0 before defeating Nadroga 2–1, while Lautoka beat hosts Ba 1–0 and Savusavu 3–0.
The second day, however, delivered a major upset when Rakiraki defeated Suva 2–1, handing the capital side its first loss. Rewa and Nadroga played out a 1–1 draw.
North West Nadroga continued its impressive run, beating Navosa 3–0 to record a third consecutive victory without conceding a goal. Labasa remained unbeaten after a goalless draw with Taveuni, while Nasinu secured its first win by defeating Nalawa 2–0.
Hosts Ba also celebrated another victory, beating Levuka 2–0 for their second consecutive win.
In the girls’ division, Seaqaqa opened its Pool C campaign with a 2–0 victory over Suva. Bua also made a winning start in Pool B, defeating Lautoka 2–0.
Dayal said school football helped develop confidence, teamwork and respect qualities that extended beyond the pitch.
“Perhaps one day, we will see some of you representing Fiji on the international stage,” he said.
With pool matches continuing, North West Nadroga has made an impressive start, while Rakiraki’s upset of Suva has added fresh intrigue to the race for knockout places.
Navua’s Sheldon Pal and Seaqaqa’s Kameli Tuibenau battle for possession during their match in the Extra Supermarket & Dayals Fiji Primary Schools Football Association IDC 2026 held at the 4R Stadium, Govind Park in Ba yesterday. Picture: REINAL CHAND
