Rewa opened its 2023 Digicel Fiji FACT campaign with a thrilling 1-0 win over Labasa at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva on Friday. Striker Abbu Zahid netted the winner for the Delta Tigers in the 83rd minute after some good work in midfield by Samuela Nabenia and Tevita Waranaivalu. Both teams kept the big Laucala oval crowd on the edge of their seats with beautiful display of fast and attacking football. Veteran Taniela Waqa captained the Babasiga Lions and featured upfront with Christopher Wasasala while Rewa was ably led by Setareki Hughes, Zahid and Iosefo Verevou in the forwards. Rewa goalie ..read more

Lautoka FC Head Coach Ronil Kumar says confidence played a big role in their 1-0 win over champions in their opening match of the 2023 Digicel Fiji FACT at the HFC Bank Stadium tonight. Kumar said his players stuck to the game plan and delivered. “When the boys execute what they do in training it shows they have been listening, hats off to them for that,” Kumar said. “Locked nil all at the breather, Kumar said the keyword at halftime was confidence.” “I just told them to be confident, be confident on the ball.” “As soon as we received we just kept playing the sides and looked to create gaps an ..read more

Suva FC Coach Babs Khan says the defending champions have no excuses for losing their opening match of the 2023 Digicel Fiji FACT 1-0 to a determined Lautoka outfit at the HFC Bank Stadium tonight. Khan said missing five season starters from their starting line-up was no excuse and selected players had to step up. “It is hard when you have five players who play in the best 11 missing but, its for the guys to step up,” Khan said. “We need to bring our reaction time abit faster, we are reacting a lot slower than what we are used too.” “Maybe the fatigue has come into the players, but nevertheles ..read more

A 10-man Lautoka outfit registered a 1-0 win over host and defending champions Suva in their opening Group A match of the 2023 Digicel Fiji FACT at the HFC Bank Stadium tonight. The Whites, featuring without five key players, started well and launched some early attacks through Captain Samuela Drudru and Rusiate Matarerega. Lautoka with prolific marksman Sairusi Nalaubu and Saula Waqa upfront also threatened with set-piece moves initiated in midfield by Captain Zibraaz Sahib. The fast and constructively displayed first spell did not produce any goals and the two sides entered the second half w ..read more

Ba FC Head Coach Imdad Ali wants more from his team despite a 2-1 win over Navua in their Digicel Fiji FACT group opener at HFC Bank Stadium today. Ali said although the win was impressive, his team needs to step up and tighten its game. “Navua played alot of pressing game, and a majority of those ball from the back line were collected by their midfield, so our midfield did not function as what I wanted.” “I will have to talk with them to ensure they collect those return balls.” Ali said possession is a key aspect in a game, and they need to adjust before taking on the defending champions Suva ..read more

Navua Head Coach Saiyad Ali believes the side needs to sharpen up in their remaining Digicel Fiji FACT matches if they hope to progress further in the tournament. Succumbing 2-1 to a well-polished Ba outfit, Ali said the side needs to work on closing off a game. “The result was not in our favour, but we will need to work on our finishing,” Ali said. “In the first half when we had those chances and could not score, it was an indication we could not win the game.” “We created so many chances, but we could not utilise it, and we were a bit switched off when Ba scored their second goal.” “We went ..read more

Tailevu Naitasiri Head Coach Tagi Vonolagi has commended his players for a committed fight to the final whistle to deny Nadi a win in the Digicel Fiji FACT opener today. After trailing 1-0 at the break, Vonolagi applauded his warriors for being able to turn the deficit deep in injury time to level 1-1. “It was a never say die attitude from the boys and I commend them for that.” Vonolagi said while they were pressed into their own half, their defensive effort won the day. “Our defence won big, and we will look to work on that as well as build more on our attack.” Tailevu Naitasiri take on neigh ..read more

Nadi Football guru Kamal Swamy says more composure is needed from his men after a dismal 1-1 draw with Tailevu Naitasiri in their group opener at the Digicel Fiji FACT today. Swamy said while the result was disappointing, it was a learning process for a revamped Nadi outfit. “We did well, we just needed more composure, it is all about how we manage the ball when we have it, and just keep control,” Swamy said in the post-match interview. “We have a very young side and are developing these players to better things.” “Any team would want to win their opening game going forward, still I think it w ..read more

The FijiFirst Party will return to Parliament following the uplifting of its suspension today. The Office of the Speaker received correspondence from the Acting Registrar of Political Parties that the FijiFirst Party has compiled with the requirements of Sections 26 of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures. In a statement, Parliament indicated that with the lifting of the suspension of the registration of the FijiFirst Party, all twenty-four members can resume participation in all the proceedings of Parliament or any committee of Parliament including participati ..read more

Next week’s Parliament sitting has been deferred until further notice. The Business Committee met this afternoon and unanimously approved the deferment to allow the Coalition Government to ensure the efficient and effective preparation of the 2023-2024 National Budget, before it is tabled in Parliament. The National Budget will be delivered by Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad on 30 June at 10am ..read more