BA – Ba skipper Pita Baleitoga and team-mate Maciu Dunadamu have denied Labasa yet again with a goal each in yesterday’s 2-0 win as Ba defied the odds to win the Super Six title.
Ba – who have experienced a roller-coaster season of inconsistency – secured another Fijian domestic trophy to reinforce their reputation as a team for the big occasion thanks to their two signings secured from Labasa earlier this year.
Baleitoga and Dundamu have both endured a torrid season blighted by unsavoury allegations of match fixing, later disproved, after Labasa’s 1-0 loss to Navua in the Fiji FACT Final.
The incident left the former Labasa pair on the fringes of the Fijian football fraternity as they awaited the outcome of a judiciary and they seized the chance for a fresh start when they signed for Ba in June.
That move proved a happy one for the two ostracised players as they scored in Ba’s 2-1 win over Labasa in the Battle of the Giants Final.
And it was the Baleitoga/Dunadamu double-act to the fore again as Ba won the Super Six title.
Ba captain, Baleitoga said all the hard work, toil and patience had paid off .
"I was sure I would score when the ball was played to me."
"We came prepared for the Super Six title, but winning is not new for us.
Ba is a champion team because we play and win almost all the finals," said the 24-year-old from Nakobo, Savusavu.
“I really didn’t mind the criticism I have received too much because I came to play for Ba.
Ba pay my bread and butter and I was happy to score a goal to repay their faith in me."
Ba coach Yogendra Dutt side said Ba took a simple approach and, by scoring two early goals, gained a crucial psychological edge over Labasa.
“There were no fancy game plans, just simple soccer but we also had resilience that gave us that necessary mental edge over Labasa,” Dutt said.
Despite missing two of its finest players in Malakai Tiwa and Tuimasi Manuca, Ba came out firing, forcing Labasa to concede three corner kicks in as many minutes before Bolaitoga’s thunderous drive found the back of the net.
Dunadamu doubled the advantage on the 30-minute mark to seal the win, ensuring Ba qualified for the champion versus champion series for the 17th consecutive year.
Replacement striker Mavileko Nakama was shown a second yellow card and sent off in the final minute.
Ba will represent Fiji in the 2009 O-League for the third consecutive season after finishing top of the Super Six competition after one round.
Ba finished runners-up to Waitakere United in the 2007 O-League but were eliminted at the group stage in 2008 by Tafea FC and Kossa FC.
SUPER SIX
Ba (2) 2 (Baleitoga 3, Dunadamu 30)
Labasa (0) 0
Ba: Jone Sorolo, Malakai Kanihewe, Jone Vesikula, Alvin Singh, Ronald Lawrence, Joshua Wilson, Roneel Kumar, Keni Doidoi (Rinal Prasad), Shamil Rao, Maciu Dunadamu (Mavileko Nakama), Pita Bolaitoga
Labasa: Azmat Begg (Shamal Kumar), Taniela Waqa, Samu Kautoga, Amani Makoe, Apisalome Turuva, Nemani Rasiga (Mira Saheb), Alvin Avinesh, Henry Dyer, Dinesh Mudaliar (Taione Bola), Joseph Nimariau, Roy Krishna