Solomon Islands hammers Junior Bula Boys as Tri-Nations kick-off in Lautoka

The first game of the Tri-Nations tournament played at Churchill Park in Lautoka, Fiji was an exciting event for football fans in the region. The game featured the Solomon Islands national team taking on the Fiji U-20 team, the Junior Bula Boys. It was match contested in the first half, but completely dominated by Solomon Islands in the final 45 minutes – that ended in a 4-1 victory for the Bonitos.

Fiji took the lead at the 30th minute when Abdullah Aiyaz scored a goal. The young squad had the chance to double their lead just 8 minutes later when Junior Dekedeke was awarded a penalty kick. However, he missed the opportunity, and it proved costly for Fiji in the end. Henderson Eels’ striker Adrian Mara equalized the scoreline for Solomon Islands just before the half-time whistle.

The second half saw the Solomon Islands team take control of the game, with Central Coast’s William Komasi putting his team ahead just after the break. The strong striker Ali Mekawir then scored from a penalty spot to extend their lead. Waneagu’s Bobby Leslie added another goal at the 86th minute to seal the win for Solomon Islands.

What made this win even more impressive was that Solomon Islands’ head coach Felipe Vega-Arango had chosen a very young team for the match, featuring players like 18-year-old Paul Francis of Waneagu United. This was reportedly the youngest ever first eleven played by the Solomon Islands national team, as noted by the local media.

Despite the loss, FijiU-20 showed some promising signs and will undoubtedly gain valuable experience from playing against a talented Solomon Islands team. The Junior Bula Boys are preparing for the U-20 World Cup to be played this May in Indonesia. The Tri-Nations tournament promises to bring more exciting matches and impressive performances from the participating teams.