Fiji soccer giants Ba reclaimed the Champion Versus Champion title after outclassing Lautoka 4-2 in the second and final leg of the Pillay Garments sponsored series yesterday at Govind Park in Ba.
Replacement striker Tuimasi Manuca sealed the victory for the Men In Black in the 81st minute after Lautoka showed signs of a comeback earlier in the second spell.
Ba got off to a flier scoring two quick goals to take the psychological advantage in the match.
Josaia Bukalidi opened the account for Ba in the 3rd minute after a clever midfield move. The veteran striker gave Lautoka goalkeeper Laisenia Tuba no chance with his strike from the left hand edge of the box.
Peni Finau doubled the advantage in the 13th minute after heading in a Bukalidi corner which beat the Lautoka defence and Tuba.
Bukalidi grabbed his second a minute before halftime latching onto a Shameel Rao through ball.
Despite a 3-0 lead, the match was far from over as Lautoka scored two goals in quick succession shortly after halftime to set up a tense finish.
Marika Madigi pulled one back in the 53rd minute while Captain Jone Vono Junior slotted in a penalty three minutes later.
But Ba’s Manuca made sure of the win with his goal 10 minutes which set off scenes of celebrations among the 5000 fans at Govind Park.
It is the 14th time the Men in Black have won the Champion Versus Champion crown. Ba held the title for thirteen consecutive years before losing to Labasa last year.
The victory was much sweeter for proud dads Kainahewe and Rao whose wives gave birth to baby boys yesterday and today respectively.
Champion Versus Champion 2nd Leg
Ba v Lautoka
Friday 6 March
Govind Park, Ba
Ba: 4 (Bukalidi 3 and 44, Finau 13, Manuca 81)
Lautoka: 2 (Madigi 53, Vono 58)
Halftime: 3-0
Ba: Jone Ralulu, Malakai Kainahewe, Avinesh Suwamy, Jone Vesikula, Peni Finau, Joshua Wilson, Ronil Kumar (Petero Dauniseka), Ronald Lawrence, Shameel Rao (Shalen Lal), Josaia Bukalidi (Tuimasi Manuca), Osea Vakatalesau.
Lautoka: Laisenia Tuba, Apisai Smith, Malakai Waqa (Kamal Hassan), Samuela Kautoga, Samuela Vula, Marika Madigi, Leone Vurukania (Isimeli Naresia),Mitieli Namuka (Keni Doidoi), Arvindra Naidu, Valerio Nawatu, Jone Vono.
Man of the match: Shameel Rao (Ba)
Referee: Leone Rakoroi
Crowd: 5000+
Cautions: Mitieli Namuka (Lautoka), Osea Vakatalesau (Ba)
Story courtesy of www.fijilive.com
Photo courtesy of www.fijitimes.com