Rewa FC came from 1-0 down to defeat Lae City FC and book their place in the semi-finals of the OFC Men’s Champions League, in an entertaining tussle in Ba.
By virtue of their superior goal difference, the Papua New Guinea side knew a draw would be enough for them to progress, with Rewa needing all three points to keep their campaign alive on home soil.
Unsurprisingly then, it was the hosts who began with more intent, pinning their opponents deep in their own half. New Caledonia international Joseph Athale had the first real effort of the match – his dipping effort causing Ronald Warisan to scramble as the goalkeeper watched it fly narrowly over the bar.
It was completely against the run of play when the opener did come. Lae City, who were struggling to break out of their own end, managed to catch Rewa on the counter, with an excellent run by Solomon Kamake. The forward beat two men before the ball sprang loose to the supporting Raphael Rudolph who drove a low effort through a thicket of bodies and into the net.
Rewa responded well, with Josaia Sela heading wide from an excellent Ramzan Khan cross, before Athale dragged an effort wide that he perhaps should have done better with.
Kamake had a similar chance shortly after and, much like Athale, could only hook his low shot wide of the far post, as Lae City again looked to threaten on the transition.
Player/Coach Tevita Waranaivalu was desperate for his side to get back into the contest and they would find a crucial equaliser in first-half stoppage-time. Captain Kavaia Rawaqa was fed by Delon Shankar, before the midfielder pivoted onto his left foot and drilled an excellent effort from distance past Warisan, going in off the inside of the post to make it 1-1 heading into the break.
Valentine Nelson made one change to his Lae City side for the second-half, removing goalscorer Rudolph and bringing on Nalau Moses.
Just seven minutes were on the clock in the second period when Rewa completed their comeback and took the lead for the first time.
Joseph Athale was found by a cross from the left by Waranaivalu, whose first-time pass was almost met by Josaia Sela – the ball breaking to Merrill Nand, whose low effort somehow found its way through a number of bodies, beating Warisan to make it 2-1.
The Fijian side appeared content to try and sit on what they had – getting deeper and deeper as Lae City began to dominate possession. Rewa however, did continually look threatening on the counter-attack as the game began to stretch.
Lae City by contrast were struggling to create anything in the way of clear cut chances. Their efforts to find a crucial equaliser hampered when Charles Hayes picked up an injury late on, having to be replaced by Ricky Nathan.
The Papua New Guinea side would have one final chance to score that all important goal deep into stoppage-time. Substitute Smith Yonny breaking down the left, cutting inside and rifling an effort that thudded off the underside of the crossbar and away.
Solomon Kamake was shown a red card in the immediate aftermath for a second bookable offence, but the decision was swiftly rescinded by referee Ben Aukwai, upon clarification that it was Kamake’s first yellow card of the match.
Rewa held on and secured the win they needed to advance to the semi-finals, to be played on Wednesday at the same venue, against the winner of Group A.
Rewa FC: 2 (Kavaia RAWAQA 45+1′, Merrill NAND 52′)
Lae City FC: 1 (Raphael RUDOLPH 15′)
HT: 1-1
Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek