Meli Laddpeter 
Tavua College sent a strong warning to rival teams at the Extra Fiji Secondary Schools Futsal Championship, after defeating the defending under-17 champions 3–1 at the Fiji Football Academy in Suva.
Ahead of their opening match, coach Ravinish Chand urged his players to draw strength from the struggles and hardships they faced back home while preparing for the tournament.
One of the biggest challenge Tavua College faced is the lack of a proper training facility but that failed to deter them in their first outing.
For many players, joining a national development team is something they hope to achieve.
“It’s hard to play on the turf when we have been playing in the grass for the past few months. Players find it hard to adjust but the boys did good today and was able to secure the win.”
The tournament is currently underway at the Fiji Football Academy and the FMF Gymnasium in Suva, and will conclude on Saturday.
