Suva FC recorded an impressive 7-0 win over Veitongo FC on day two of the OFC Futsal Men’s Champions League 2024 in New Caledonia.

Nikil Chand scored a hat-trick for the Fijian club champions inside the first three minutes at the ‘Arene du Sud’ near Noumea, to stun the Tongan champions.

Veitongo FC was coming off a tough 11-2 loss to AS PTT from New Caledonia on the opening day but was boosted by the arrival of national coach Manu Tualau ahead of the match.

The Fijians had the benefit of an opening day bye and were in the stands to watch Veitongo’s opening match and no doubt gained valuable insight.

After Chand did the early damage, captain Rajneel Singh and Deepal Singh added goals to put Suva FC on course for a cricket score after 7 minutes.

But marshalled by captain Hemaloto Polovili Veitongo who refused to throw in the towel and created a good chance to get on the scoreboard through Oliveti Vai in the 11^th minute. They worked hard on defence to deny Suva FC too many chances for the remainder of the half. But three minutes from half-time Fiji’s national captain Filipe Baravilala fired home Suva’s 6^th before an own goal made it seven nil at the break.

Whatever Tualau said to his Veitongo FC side at half-time did the trick as his players remained focused and put their bodies on the line to deny wave after wave of Suva FC attacks and they kept Suva FC scoreless in the second half.

_Oceania Football