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The starting line-ups are as follows:
Ba FC: 1. Misiwani NAIRUBE (GK), 2. Avinesh WARAN, 3. Meli CODRO, 6. Jone VESIKULA, 7. Laisenia RAURA, 9. Abbu ZAHID, 11. Alvin SINGH, 12. Remueru TEKIATE, 15. Saula MATAYALO, 16. Malakai TIWA, 23. Keegan LINDERBOOM
Substitutes: 4. Manasa NAWAKULA, 5. Ronil KUMAR, 10. Mavileko NAKAMA, 14. Shameel RAO, 17. Junior NARENDRA, 19. Josefata NEIBULI, 20. James HOYT, 21. Shaneel NAIDU (GK)
Injured: 8. Jonetani BUKSH, 22. Jone Sorolo (GK), 13. Kini VILIAME, 18. Praneel NAIDU
Coach: Shalen LAL (FIJ)
FC Gaitcha: 1. Rocky NYIKEINE (GK), 2. Jeremie DOKUNENGO, 3. Leopold MAKALU, 4. Loic WAKANUMUNE, 5. Jean-Paul READ, 6. Cedric SANSOT, 7. Emile BEARUNE, 8. Patrick DIAIKE, 10. Marius BAKO, 11. Bertrand KAI, 12. Jean-Christ WAJOKA
Substitutes: 9. Albert KAQEA, 13. Georges BEARUNE, 14. Jedidha SAIKO, 15. Patrick DRAWILO, 16. Mickael ULILE (GK), 17. Jean-Louis TOTO, 18. David BEARUNE, 19. Christian LUEWADRIA, 20. Jim OUKA, 22. Yvanick PAWAWI, 23. Pierre NYIKEINE, 24. Auguste WIWANI (GK)
Coach: Kevin COMA (FRA)
Match Officials:
Referee: Nicholas WALDRON (NZL)
Assistant Referee 1: Folio MOEAKI (TON)
Assistant Referee 2: Christopher WOLKEN (NZL)
Fourth Official: Ichikawa POLOVILI (TON)
Full time: Ba FC 3-0 FC Gaitcha
A professional performance by the Men In Black, they go top of Group A following Lupe’s draw with Pirae. For Gaitcha, it’s a tough opener but they showed signs of promise and will look to improve for Tuesday’s game against Pirae. More to follow.
90 + 4′ Gaitcha have the ball in the net at last but it’s once more called back for offside. Just seconds remaining now.
90 + 4′ A shot is fired wide of the goal by a Gaitcha attacker.
90 + 3′ To rub salt into the wound, Malakai Tiwa tries a speculative effort from inside his own half.
90 + 1′ And there will be a minimum of four minutes’ stoppage time at the end of the second half.
90′ A yellow card is shown to Emile Bearune.
90′ Great pace by Rao down the right wing but he can’t make room for the cross.
90′ Some good build-up by Gaitcha but Pierre Nyikeine’s cross is off the mark.
89′ Rao tried his luck but the defender is on hand to clear. Ba are looking to add to their advantage in the dying stages.
89′ Three nil now, and what looks to be a well earned three points for the home side.
88′ GOAL! And it’s all over now! The shot dropped just in front of Rocky Nyikeine and while he parried the first effort, Avinesh Waran was on hand to finish.
85′ Another substitution for Ba with Shameel Rao replacing the goalscorer Abbu Zahid.
85′ Goalkeeper Nairube is all the way out to the near touchline to deny Kai. Shortly after, the stopper is down to receive treatment.
84′ Kevin Coma is in his technical area barking instructions but his side is running out of time to make a comeback.
83′ Toto frees up Patrick Diaike for a shot, but it is cleared to safety. And that is Diaike’s last contribution to the match as he is substituted for Jim Ouka.
80′ The shot is wide from Avinesh Waran after some good build up involving James Hoyt and Abbu Zahid.
77′ A substitution for Ba with Junior Narendra on for the impressive Keegan Linderboom. Meanwhile, Kevin Coma has replaced Leopold Makalu with Pierre Nyikiene.
76′ Kai has a chance on the edge of the area but his heavy first touch lets him down and the ball is thumped down field by the defender.
74′ Substitution for FC Gaitcha, Jean-Louis Toto is on in place of Jean-Christ Wajoka. Like Wajoka, Toto will look to play off the shoulder of the last defender.
74′ The flag is up again with Wajoka in behind the last line of defence.
70′ The referee has a stern talking to Wajoka.
69′ A long ball for Linderboom to run on to, he shoots first time with the left boot but it’s wide of the upright. Nyikiene looked to have the shot covered if it were on target.
68′ Kai is in behind again but the flag is up once more and the New Caledonia striker is denied.
66′ Some silky skills in the penalty area from Jean-Christ Wajoka as he flicks the ball up past one defender, but the cover is there for Ba and they clear the danger.
63′ Kai nods forward and Bearune is in the clear but the flag is up for offside.
61′ And that was his final intervention! Substitution for Ba, as James Hoyt comes on for Matayalo.
60′ The goalkeeper is out smartly to smother Saula Matayalo’s effort.
60′ A pacy counter-attack by the visiting New Caledonian side but Wajoka takes too long and fails to pick out Kai at the back post.
59′ It’s driven toward the back post but Wajoka can only nod the ball over the crossbar. Gaitcha struggling to find that opening…
56′ Gaitcha have responded well after the interval and are seeing more of the ball in the second half. Kevin Coma is trying to use the pace of his wide players and strikers to fashion a way back into the game.
54′ Gaitcha appeal for a hand ball in the penalty area, but nothing given.
49′ Yellow card for Loic Wakanumune following a clash on the far side of the field.
49′ Close! A shot is headed off the line by a Ba defender after the goalkeeper Nairube spilled a cross and Kai poked it toward goal.
46′ The referee blows his whistle and the game re-starts.
Half time: Ba FC 2-0 FC Gaitcha
A relatively comfortable half for the Men In Black, but a good rally by the visiting Gaitcha toward the end of the spell. An imposing front two of Linderboom and Matayalo have dominated the top of the park for Ba, but with Bertrand Kai playing up front for the New Caledonians, anything is possible. As we’ve seen already today, a two-goal halftime lead means little…
45 + 2′ A cross finds its way to Leopold Makalu but his shot is blocked by the Ba defender.
45 + 1′ It’s another long ball for Kai but Nairube rushes out and heads the ball to safety.
45 + 1′ Two minutes to be added on at the end of the first half.
45′ Great hold-up play by Kai but Bako handles the ball en route to goal.
44′ A long ball finds Kai who makes room for Wajoka to shoot, but the effort is saved by Nairube.
43′ Matayalo takes on two Gaitcha defenders with a yard of space on the wing, beats them both but his cross is deflected away.
42′ Next it’s Emile Bearune’s chance to shoot, but his volley is over the crossbar.
42′ Jean Christ Wajoka skips inside his defender but his shot rebounds to safety.
38′ Matayalo’s shot is deflected behind after some good build-up by the home side. The attacker is subsequently down to receive treatment.
36′ A healthy crowd is in good voice at Govind Park, lifted significantly by the home side’s early lead.
35′ Ba has controlled the opening spell well, dictacting the tempo and retaining possession. Gaitcha’s main chances have come via Bertrand Kai on the break, and the Men In Black have looked dangerous from set pieces with the likes of Alvin Singh surging forward.
33′ GOAL! Just like that! Another goal for Ba, as the ball is bundled home from a corner by Malakai Tiwa.
32′ Apologies, we have been experiencing technical difficulties at Govind Park and in Suva. We join the action here after 32 minutes, with Ba FC leading 1-0 thanks to a goal by Abbu Zahid after 21 minutes.
For updates of the second Group B match between Amicale and Western United, visit the OFC Twitter page at www.twitter.com/ofcfootball.