NADI, NAVUA, NASINU RULE ON DAY ONE

Nadi, Navua and Nasinu all scured wins on day one of the 68th Inter Districts Championship tournament at Churchill Park in Lautoka. Close to 5,000 watched the opening day of the competition.

Navua was the first winner of the day after a Pita Bolatoga piledriver soon after the interval was enough to give the 2005 Battle of the Giants champs a 1-0 win over Labasa.

The opening match began 20 minutes after schedule due to a break-in at the Navua team camp.

The Nadi side look to be a force to reckoned with after their impressive performance against Suva, Fiji’s largest soccer district. Solomon Island international Stanley Waita broke down the Suva defence to score in the 56th minute.

Suva will have to win the rest of their games to end a 22-year jinx and make it into the semi-final stages of the competition.

Rewa held the defending champs Ba to a 0-0 draw with both sides left ruing missed chances in the third game of the day.

Ba, however, was the stronger team missing four clear chances to take the lead after striker Shalen Lal missed twice in the first half and once in the second half. Ba and national captain Esala Masi also missed a perfect opportunity in the second half along with Ba striker Avinesh Swamy, whose kick came off the crossbar.

And a Solomon Islands-dominated Nasinu side wrapped up day one with a 2-1 win over host district Lautoka.

Nasinu’s Solomon Island import and Indian College student Benjamin Totori proved to be a handful for Lautoka scoring both goals in the win. Totori put Nasinu up 1-0 in the 45th minute, only for Lautoka striker Osea Vakatalesau to level the score just minutes later after a lapse in concentration by the Nasinu side.

But, Totori again displayed his creativeness, running straight through the Lautoka defence to score his second less than five minutes later.

Nasinu looked to be the more creative side forcing Lautoka goalie Nicholas Lawrence to make several saves.

Nadi and Nasinu lead Pool 2 with three points each, while Navua leads Pool 1 with three points. Rewa and Ba share second place with a point each.

Nadroga and Tavua have not played and will feature today.

Day 1 Results – 6 October, 2005

Pool 1

Navua 1 – 0 Labasa

Rewa 0 – 0 Ba

Tavua (bye)

Pool 2

Nadi 1 – 0 Suva

Nasinu 2 – 1 Lautoka

Nadroga (bye)

Day 2 Matches – 7 October, 2005 (Kick off Fiji time)

Pool 1

17:15 Ba vs. Navua

18:30 Tavua vs. Rewa

Labasa (bye)

Pool 2

16:00 Nadroga vs. Suva

19:45 Lautoka vs. Nadi

Nasinu (bye)

For more tournament information check out www.fijifootball.com