Kishan Sami ready for his first season in New Zealand

Former Ba defender Kishan Sami seems ready for the start of the new season in New Zealand; the 20-year-old full-back recently signed with Manukau United, an Auckland-based team that plays in the Lotto NRFL Premier League.

Sami played this weekend in Manukau’s final friendly match against Auckland United on the way to the start of the league on 20 June. The Fijian international played an important role in the friendly, although Manukau suffered a 1-0 defeat. In addition to Sami, Samoan international George Konusi and Cook Islands’ Maro Bonsu-Maro represented Manukau.

Alongisde Sami, another Fjians recently joined Manukau United: Etonia Dogalau, Rahul Naresh and Mohammed Nabeel joined the reserve squad of the team; Mohammed Alam, Poasa Bainivalu and Malakai Rakula are set to join the first team of Manukau. Rakula played already one friendly match for Manukau, but he left to Fiji due COVID-19 pandemics and is waiting the reopen of New Zealand borders to rejoin the club for the new season. The goalkeeper Mohammed Alam was forced to move back just after signing for Manukau due work commitments in his country – he is also set to rejoin the team in the next weeks. Bainivalu also is still to travel to New Zealand due the same problems Malakai Rakula is having at the moment.

Kishan Sami recently played for Fiji’s U-23 side in the OFC Olympic Qualifiers. He has also played 13 matches for his country at senior level. This is his first experience playing in a foreign club.