The so waited grand final match of the Inter-District Championship was a real battle between Suva and Labasa. After a hard win against Ba in the semifinals, the Capital Boys promised a huge fight against Labasa, the current Battle of Giantes champions that smashed Nadi with a 5-0 win in their semifinal match.
A lot of rain marked the final in the Prince Charles Park, in Nadi. The quality of the game was surely influenced with the pitch conditions to the heavy rains in the ground, what forced the players to battle harder for the balls to put themselves in forward positions.
Both Suva and Labasa had the chances to score in the game but the accuracy was no there. A match marked for much fight from the teams had to go to the extra-time when a certain player made the difference.
It is always nervous to go to an extra-time, especially in a final game of an important tournament. But in the first minute of the extra-time, the substitute and Solomon Islands international Dennis Ifunaoa scored a superb goal, that found the left top-corner of Suva goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau. After so much fight from both sides – Labasa to defend its lead and Suva to find a goal to equalise – the game ended up in 1-0 win for the Babasiga Lions having Ifunaoa was the hero of the day.
This is the 5th title of the Inter-District Championship for Labasa, that had his last trophy in the competition in 2016.
The Lions had a very fine season, winning as the Battle of Giants tournament and turning themselves in one of the top teams in Fiji at moment.
2 thoughts on “Dennis Ifunaoa sends Labasa to IDC Glory”