Fiji soccer wins series

FIJI soccer’s arduous Mini South Pacific Games cam paign kicked off in August with with three warm-up games against a New Zea land President’s team. Host Fiji took the series, but just barely, against veteran All Whites coach lan Marshall’s youthful team. Fiji won the first match in Labasa 2-1 under sweltering conditions but could manage only a 1-1 draw in Suva and a 0-0 draw in Lautoka.

The Fijians won their first SPG gold in 1991 in Papua New Guinea and the Fiji Football Association is spar ing no effort or money to ensure a repeat performance at the December Mini

Games in Vanuatu. Fijian coach Billy Singh said the games against the Kiwis were a good workout for his side. New Zealand, made up of mostly under-23 players, dominated in all three matches.

Singh wants more warm up games for his side and negotiations are under way for games in Australia against the Canberra state side. Singh expects a serious challenge from not only Ta hiti and New Caledonia but also from the Solomons and Vanuatu. He has chosen a squad made up mostly of 1991 games veterans for Port Vila. Under Singh, Fiji has not lost to any Pacific nation since 1987. □