An injury hit Ba came back from the dead to take out the 69th Courts Homecenters Inter District Competition as the side retained its title beating Nadi 2-1 in the final
yesterday.
The Vodafone Ba side showed that they can never be counted out by coming back from 1-0 down in extra time to get the win.
After Viliame Toma had given Nadi a 1-0 lead, Avinesh Swamy leveled scores with a classic freekick. Minutes later it was Malakai Tiwa who got the winner as he nodded home a cross from the right
flank.
Ba coach Yogendra Datt said that in his entire coaching career he had never seen a team of such dedicated and disciplined players.
“Some of the players are so injured that they shouldn’t be playing but they still did what was needed and that was to win,” Datt said.
“When we were down 1-0 the boys talked that they had 10 minutes to go and they could do it and they did.”
Ba president Rishi Kumar said despite being written off, his side showed what local talent could do.
“The players we have are local and young and have come on in place of the key players we have lost,” Kumar said.
“It’s just so great and I must thank the lord.”
“There’s just so much happiness which we feel because of what we have achieved against all odds.”
Ba mayor Pravin Bala said he had told the teams before the start of the tournament to win against all odds.
“The players have done it and we will celebrate it in style,” Bala said.
Datt started Malakai Tiwa in place of Ronald Lawrence and had to start with Epeli Codro at goalkeeper in place of suspended Jone Sorolo.
Ba started the match on a slow pace but picked up momentum with time and the deft touches between the Men in Black players started to break the Nadi defence.
It was only the finishing which was lacking.
As the first half drew nearer to the break, Nadi started to find some space and rhythm and tested the Ba defence and goalkeeper Epeli Codro.
However both sides rested 0-0 at the break.
The start of the second half saw Nadi come out firing and they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty box. However a powerful shot by Marika Namaqa was saved by
Codro.
Ba slowly started to take control again and continued to make inroads in the Nadi defence but the finishing was absent again.
Both teams picked up the pace and the action see sawed from one end to another as the match approached the last 10 minutes. There was little between the two teams as the match
approached full time.
Nadi’s new find Ratu Josefata Dugucagi was a nemesis for Ba as he time and again put the Blacks defence under pressure. However both teams couldn’t get the required winner and the
match headed into 20 minutes extra time.
It was all action go when Toma nailed in the goal in the ninth minute of extra time.
Nadi couldn’t hold on as Swamy leveled the scores in the first minute of the second spell of extra time.
Ba
Epeli Codro, Malakai Kenihewe, Jone Vesikula, Joeli Ranitu, Avinesh Swamy, Keni Doidoi (Rinal Prasad), Malakai Tiwa, Kini Viliame, Shalen Lal, Tuimasi Manuca (Nuimaia Tagi), Josaia Bukalidi (Ronald
Lawrence).
Nadi
Ben Amino, Marika Namaqa, Michael Maharaj, Josefa Tabusau (Ravikesh Narayan), Eliki Ravosai, Mirko Mamic (Viliame Toma), Netani Momaivalu, Marika Madigi (Maika Kasami), Peniasi Vakasaukuru, Inoke
Nakicia, Josefata Dugucagi (Uraia Loki).
INDRA SINGH