Luisa Tamanitoakula

Transitioning from 11 a side to five a side in football is no easy feat for Ba lass Luisa Tamanitoakula.

Tamanitoakula is one of the 16 players selected to represent Fiji’s first-ever women’s futsal team for the OFC Nations Cup next month.

She says trying to adapt to the fitness level required for futsal has been challenging.

“The transition has been a slow one. I think we’re trying to adapt first to the ground and then to the fast-paced football in futsal. I think we’re trying to adapt to that, especially for all of us here, since most of us are from the 11-a-side team.”

Tamanitoakula says the experience of Coach Jerry Sam has been a boost for them as they try to adapt to the 5-a-side game.

The OFC Women’s Futsal Nations Cup will be played in a single-group format, with the top two teams meeting in the final and the third and fourth-place teams playing in the playoff for third place.

The winner of the tournament will represent Oceania at the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup in the Philippines next year.