Ba complete historic clean sweep

Dayals Steel Ba capped a dominant season in Fiji football after defeating VantEx Solutions Navua 2-0 in the final of the FMF Inter-District Championship (IDC) at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva today to complete a clean sweep of the country’s major domestic competitions.

The Men in Black added the IDC title to their Fiji FACT and Battle of the Giants (BOG) triumphs, while also winning the Extra Premier League competition to underline their dominance this season.

Ba coach Ravinesh Kumar said the achievement was a proud moment for the district, crediting the players, officials, board members and loyal fans for standing together throughout the campaign.

“It’s a proud moment for Ba as the hard work of the players, officials and board members, as well as the patience of the fans, paid off because they were all behind us,” Kumar said.

“That’s the beauty of Ba; everyone worked together hand in hand, and the success was rewarded.”

Ba’s attacking approach, particularly through the wide areas, proved effective against Navua’s defence as they broke the deadlock late in the match.

David Supa opened the scoring in the 80th minute after capitalising on a rebound from Navua goalkeeper Tevita Ravia’s save.

Etonia Dogalau then converted a penalty in the 87th minute to seal the victory and spark celebrations for the Ba camp.

The IDC victory earned Ba $25,000 in prize money, while runners-up Navua received $6,000.

Dogalau was also named Player of the Tournament after playing a key role in Ba’s successful campaign.

Navua head coach Rodeck Singh acknowledged his player’s efforts through the tournament despite the loss.

“There’s are quite a few positives we can take away from the final and build on it in the upcoming league season,” Singh said.

“We’re sorry to the fans for not delivering the trophy but we thank you for the support.”