FFA, Suva: Navua beat Nadi 2-1 at Prince Charles Park on Sunday to round up the weekends National Soccer League matches. Nadi led the first half with a goal from Eliki Ravai. Navua started the second half strong with ga oal from former Ba rep Taito Bula.

Navua applied more pressure which led to a goal by Lorima Batirerega. The win allows Navua to retain its sixth position on the National Soccer League table while Nadi is in seventh place.

Ba continued its 23 game winning streak beating Rewa 2-1 at Ratu Cakobau Park. Rewa started the game well with strong attacks but Ba’s defence held out the home side’s early incursions.

Ba was first to score with a cross from national representative Manoa Masi. In the second half Rewa brought on national goalie Simione Tamanisau as striker. Tamanisau equalized for Rewa though an opportunistic goal that came from a mistake in the Ba defence.

Manoa Masi clinched the game for Ba with a late goal to carry on Ba’s lead at the top of the Naitonal Soccer League.

Tavua came close to creating one of the biggest upsets in this year’s Coca Cola/Nokia sponsored national soccer league series yesterday.

The Gold Miners had only themselves to blame when they missed a penalty in the dying stages of the game, which could have seen them defeating the experienced Suva side.

After being thrashed 5-0 by Suva at the National Stadium last week, Tavua looked a totally changed team before their home crowd at Garvey Park.

Tavua with plenty new players mounted numerous raids which put pressure on the experienced Suva side and on numerous occasions had the Suva players stunned with their performance.

It was in the early stages of the first half that a long drive from new find Dev Anand shocked the Suva side when the powerful shot sailed straight into the net leaving Suva goalkeeper Penaia Nabuta flatfooted. After this goal time and again the Tavua strikers penetrated the Suva defense but lacked finishing.

The Capital Side trailed Tavua 0-1 at the breather and after a pep team talk came out firing in the second half.

A blunder by Asesela Rauqe became costly for Tavua after the referee awarded Suva a penalty, which Thomas Vulivuli thumped in to pull one back for Suva.

However, this goal did not deter the Tavua strikers as they continually mounted pressure on the Suva goalmouth.

It was in the dying stages of the game that Tavua got a much-needed penalty after one of their players was brought down in the penalty box.

However, the shot by Avinesh Goundar went straight to the keeper’s hands denying Tavua the much-needed three points. – courtesy Fiji news sources – Fijilive (Daily Post), Fiji FA, Fiji Sun.