Also making his mark was Junior Bula Boys midfielder Nicholas Franklin, who was named Player of the Match after Fiji’s commanding 7-2 victory over Vanuatu in their OFC U-19 Men’s Championship opener.

The Brisbane-based youngster capped his performance with Fiji’s final goal and says the individual award came as a surprise, crediting his teammates for the convincing win.

Franklin says he did not expect to receive the individual award, with several of his teammates also producing strong performances in the emphatic win.

The youngster says the team’s four-week camp helped build a strong bond among the players, with that unity evident in their second-half performance.

“Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to get as a lot of the boys in our team put in a good shift there and a few of them definitely deserved it, so just happy to have received it.”

“It’s been a long journey so far, you know, the boys had a four-week camp in Fiji, you know, being away from our families and everything, it’s been long, but we’ve had each other and, you know, it showed in that game.”

With his mother being from Fiji, Franklin says representing his heritage on the international stage is a special moment for both him and his family.

“Really special, man. I live in Australia, but, you know, my mum is from Fiji and, you know, being able to represent her heritage is really special for our family.”

Meanwhile, head coach Marika Rodu says the 7-2 win over Vanuatu has boosted the team’s confidence, but they must now focus on improving their start and preparing for a tough clash against New Zealand.

“I think for us it was more to reset quickly and just continue focusing on the game plan. We achieved that and scored a goal to equalize.”

The Junior Bula Boys will face New Zealand this Saturday at 3pm in their second Group B match of the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship in Samoa.