Simran Chand 
Lautoka under-16 team
Lautoka’s Under-16 team staged a spirited second-half comeback to defeat Navua 3-2 in the Extra National play-offs at the Fiji Football Academy today.
Veleni Rasorewa proved to be the match-winner for Lautoka, scoring both the opening and the winning last goal.
Navua started strongly, leading at halftime with Arav Kumar netting two goals, while Rasorewa scored Lautoka’s sole first-half goal, making it 2-1.
At the break, Lautoka manager Shekar Sharan rallied his team, telling them that if Navua could score twice, so could they.
Lautoka responded in the second half, with John Kamikamica leveling the score.
The match took a turn when a Navua striker received a red card for on-field verbal exchanges, leaving them with ten players.
Lautoka capitalized, with Rasorewa scoring the winning goal.
Rasorewa then pulled his calf muscle in the final minutes and had to be substituted, leaving Lautoka with ten players as they had used all their substitutions.
However, the score remained unchanged.
Lautoka will now play Labasa tomorrow at 1 pm at the same venue, while Navua will face Labasa on Sunday at 11 am.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
