“Nobody expected us to reach the final”: Navua coach Rodicks Singh praises his players after stunning Rewa

Navua FC head coach Rodicks Singh has praised his players for overcoming the absence of several important squad members to reach the final of the 2026 FMF Inter-District Championship (IDC). Speaking exclusively to Oceania Football Center following Saturday’s dramatic victory over defending champions Rewa, Singh admitted that few people expected his team to make it this far, but credited the players’ belief and determination for their remarkable campaign.

Navua eliminated Rewa 4-1 on penalties after a goalless draw across 120 minutes at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. The result was particularly impressive considering the players unavailable to Singh, including William Komasi, Jack Junior Ani, Simione Damuni, Sunny Deol and Thomas Dunn. The latter two were suspended after accumulating yellow cards during the group stage, while Solomon Islands forward Junior Jack had already been ruled out of the tournament due to a family commitment.

“First of all, I would like to thank God Almighty for this victory,” Singh told OFCe. The Navua coach acknowledged the difficulty of facing a strong Rewa side without so many established players, but was particularly pleased with those who stepped into the team and delivered when their opportunity arrived. He praised their consistency against the defending champions and their determination to keep pushing until the end.

Rewa entered the semifinal as one of the tournament’s strongest teams, having finished unbeaten at the top of Group A. However, Navua managed to contain their opponents throughout the match before the contest was decided from the penalty spot. Goalkeeper Jovilisi Borisi, introduced specifically for the shootout, proved decisive by denying Scott Wara and Semi Nabenu, while Vinal Prasad, Monit Chand, Walter Leoru and Apolosi Seru converted their attempts to send Navua into the final.

Despite the celebrations, Singh acknowledged just how unexpected Navua’s progress had been.

“I think nobody expected us to reach the final,” he said. “The boys believed in themselves, and they believed in me.”

The coach also expressed his gratitude to the people who continued supporting the team, particularly sponsors Vantex Solutions and Umesh, as well as Navua president Rajeev Prasad and the club’s officials. Their backing has been especially important during a season in which Navua experienced both disappointment and success, including an early elimination from the Battle of the Giants and an appearance in the Fiji FACT final, where they lost to Ba on penalties.

Navua’s IDC campaign has demonstrated their ability to compete with Fiji’s leading districts. They opened the tournament with a 3-0 victory over Nadi, recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Ba and secured qualification with a goalless draw against Lautoka. Their semifinal victory over Rewa has now given them another opportunity to challenge for a major domestic trophy.

Singh, however, is determined to ensure that the excitement of reaching the final does not distract his players from the task ahead.

“For now, we will remain humble and focus on the final, whoever we face,” he said.

Navua will return to the HFC Bank Stadium on Sunday, October 11, for the IDC Super Premier Division final, scheduled for 3pm, against the winner of the semifinal between Ba and Labasa. After reaching two major tournament finals in the same season, Singh and his players now have another opportunity to turn their resilience into silverware.