A TOTAL of ten games were played in the first Futsal event of the year at the National Hockey Centre in Laucala Bay on Tuesday evening.
With the participation of 32 men’s teams and four teams each in the women’s and veterans division, the Ariston, Gokals, Whirlpool 2020 Southern Business House Futsal Soccer League is undoubtedly the biggest five-a-side soccer event to be organized so far in the country.
And the star-studded Fiji Police men’s team kicked off the games on a high note beating CJ Patel 4-0 in the first game of the tournament.
Laced with district reps in the likes of Madhwan Goundar, Shahil Dave, Waisake Navunigasau, Filipe Baravilala, Remueru Tekiata and national Futsal rep Vinit Nadan, the Fiji Police side will be a team to watch in the tournament which will carry on for 14-weeks.
“All teams came prepared and showed constructive and entertaining soccer and it’s a very good sign for the development of Futsal in the country,” said tournament organiser Alan Kumar of Bula Events Group.
“The crowd turnout was really good and this effectively lays the platform for a great networking platform for both players and fans in the coming weeks,” Mr Kumar added.
Mr Kumar said the most entertaining match of the evening was in the Unit Trust of Fiji sponsored women’s division between Bula Events Group and Swire Shipping with the former getting a taste of victory with a 4-0 win in their first match.
Bula Events Group team captain Vulatolu Bilitaki said she did not expect a win in the first game and was really surprised with the score margin.
“We had a really good game as it was a first for us and in the first spell, we were still trying to get settled,” Bilitaki said.
“We really played some good soccer in the second half and the girls are very excited and looking forward to our next game.”
The games continue at the same venue on Tuesday evening next week.
RESULTS: – Court 2 – BULA EVENTS 4-SWIRE SHIPPING 0 (W); CJ PATEL 0-FIJI POLICE 4; SCC 1-SOUTHERN FOREST 5; GOODMAN FIELDER 0-HOLIDAY INN 4. Court 3:- UTOF 0-RAM SAMI 9; MOE 3-KPMG 2; EFL 5-POLY PRODUCTS 1; HOME & LIVING 3-GOKALS 4. Court 4:- VODAFONE 2-COLGATE PALMOLIVE 0; LICI 0-ASHABHAI 3.
