Lautoka surrender two-goal lead as Henderson Eels proceeds to knock-out stage

A fantastic game, full of drama and emotions that only football can provide took place in Luganville, Vanuatu. Lautoka and Henderson Eels played a true clash that for sure entertained the local crowd in Espíritu Santo island.

Lautoka played a far better match than in their 7-0 defeat against Lae City, but still could not find their so needed win. The coach Anand Sami made several chances in the team as the central defender Jason Thomas not featuring in the game. They started the clash pulling ahead after a very good play of Alex Saniel, he lobbed the ball over the keeper, Dave Radrigai touched it back to the area and Shazil Ali powerful shot found the nets of Desmond Tutu.

The Solomon Islanders went forward to pursue the equalizing goal; Joses Nawo created a very good play, passed to Raphael Lea’i that could connect a good shot, sending it over the bar. Before the goalscoring change of Eels, Lautoka had also a chance to double their lead in a counter-attack, but it was wasted by Shivam Naidu.

The first half ended with a narrow advantage for the Fijians; but It did not took long after the start of the second half for the Blues to score again: Dave Radrigai received a ball upfront in a good counter-attack move and he was brought inside the penalty box by the goalkeepre Desmond Tutu. The New Zealander defender Jack Caunter took the responsibility to take it and made no mistake.

The substitions made by the coach Eddie Marahare were not making effect; Obed Ofea was introduced in place of Leon Kofana to send the team forward, but Eels could not create goalscoring chances. The things changed when Kennedy Watemae entered in the game in place of Hudson Felani and the experienced Joses Nawo was sent to a playmaking position.

In a very good play of Tuti Zama Tanito, he crossed the ball and found the sub Watemae in the area, a powerful finish put Henderson Eels back to the game at the 72th minute, finding the nets of the goalkeeper Liam Anderson.

Eels continued to press high Lautoka, playing inside the offensive field of the Fijian side and finding spaces in their defense. Despite pressing high, having opportunities, it was only that in the 87th minute of play that the wonderkid Raphael Lea’i scored the equalizer for his side. He received the ball in the edge of the box and finished with quality in the low corner of the opposition goalkeeper to level the match.

The draw was not enough to guarantee the spot in the knock-out stage for the Solomon Islanders, but for the joy of the locals supporting Eels in the Soccer City Stadium, in the injury time a lapse of concentration of the Fijian defense allowed Raphael Lea’i to touch the ball back to area after a through ball – his pace was tremendous in the play – to find the experienced Joses Nawo free in the box to score the winner for Henderson Eels. The celebration was intense as the goal is vital for the aspirations of the Solomon Islands’ team in the OFC Champions League.

The 3-2 result in favour of Eels seals the destiny of both sides in the competition: Lautoka is the first team to be eliminated from the group stage of the 2020 edition of OFC Champions League, as Henderson Eels is the first side to guarantee a spot in the quarter-finals of the competition. This will be second-time Henderson Eels proceeds to the knock-out stage of the regional tournament – the team took part in only two OFC Champions League editions and qualified through the group stage in both opportunities.