Labasa, one of the most traditional football districts of Fiji, is off to a terrible start in the current season of the Digicel Fiji Premier League. After playing three matches, they are currently ranked at the bottom of the league table with only one point to their name. This is not new to Labasa, in the last season of the national league the Babasiga Lions managed to get their first win of the season only after seven matches played.
Labasa’s new season began with a disappointing 3-0 loss to Lautoka, which set the tone for their struggles. In the following week, they managed to hold a 0-0 draw against Suva, but they were beaten once again in their last game to Nadi by 1-0 – and Labasa’s opponent had only 10-players for a long period of the game. To make matters worse, they are yet to register their first goal of the season, which is a major concern for the team and its fans.
The new head coach Johan Leewai is having difficulties making his team efficient both upfront and in the backline, as they have already conceded four goals in three games. Many local fans have voiced their disappointment with the team’s poor performances and urged them to improve.
As one of the most traditional football districts of Fiji, Labasa needs to improve quickly if they want to do better than in the previous edition of the national league – as they recovered in the mid-season but still managed to only finish at 6th, with six wins from 18 matches played. The team needs to work harder to represent well the Vanua Levu fans and take back the glories from the past.
Oceania Football Center 