Lupe Ole Soaga 1-3 Ba FC

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FULL TIME: LUPE OLE SOAGA 1-3 BA FC
Another convincing win by Ba, and it could have been by much more. They’re comfortable atop Group A now. More to follow.
90 +2′ And a caution for one of the Lupe defenders.
90 +1′ A yellow card for Remueru Tekiate.
90 +1′ Narendra is in behind but the flag is up for offside.
90′ Three minutes of added time here.
88′ A short break in play so a Lupe player can receive treatment.
84′ Now it’s Nawakula’s turn to shoot from distance; well over the top again.
84′ Substitution for Lupe, it’s Luki Gosche for Ishamel Taulai.
84′ Vesikula tries his luck from distance, it’s deflected wide.
83′ Beautiful body fake by Alvin Singh, he feigns with his right foot sending two Lupe players the wrong way.
82′ Rao shoots on the edge of the area, it’s blocked by the Lupe back four.
81′ It’s so close to a goal for Rao, he cuts inside his defender and looks for the top corner but it’s just wide.
80′ Avinesh Waran is substituted for Junior Narendra.
80′ It’s all a bit unclear here, Ataga’s dismissal was for a cynical professional foul and it appears as though at least one of his teammates was sent off for dissent on the bench. Play is back underway and surely it’s game over for Lupe…
78′ Another RED CARD has been issued to a Lupe substitute, it’s all getting a bit messy here!
77′ A RED CARD for Suivai Ataga!
77′ A bit of room for Lapa Toni but it’s easily defender by Ba.
76′ Waran frees up Rao, who sees the keeper off his line and shoots first time but it’s another good reflex stop by Sikovi.
75′ Short corner taken, it’s Waran who tries to loft the keeper but it sails over the crossbar.
74′ Rao gets to the byline, drives it across and it’s nearly an own goal but narrowly wide.
73′ An even more audacious effort from Waran, who looks for the top corner from a long way out.
72′ An audacious effort from Tiwa, all of thirty-five metres on the angle. Well wide.
71′ Substitution for Ba, as Shameel Rao replaces Linderboom. Another good shift by the striker.
71′ Close! Brilliant ball in by Linderboom, free header on the six yard box but it’s straight at Sikovi!
70′ Frustration showing here for Lupe, miscued clearance and it’s thumped into the area behind the goal by the defender.
69′ It’s over the head of the goalkeeper but the last defender nods it out for another corner.
68′ Beautiful run by Nawakula, using his body well to get free of his marker. He tees up Tiwa, but the shot is deflected for a corner.
65′ He’s conceded three, but Sikovi is putting up display worthy of man of the match. He’s been superb at the back for Lupe.
65′ So close again! Ba are turning it up a notch here, superb twin saves by Sikovi and the follow up is driven wide.
64′ …and Malakai Tiwa’s header is off the crossbar! A let off for Lupe.
63′ Ba have a free kick in an advanced position. The bodies are coming forward…
63′ A deserved round of applause for the hat trick scorer Matayalo as he is substituted for Ronil Kumar.
62′ Matayalo and Linderboom, who were so effective in game one, combine again with Matayalo nodding down to the striker, but his cross is ineffective.
60′ Very untidy at the back here for Lupe, they nearly gift the ball to Ba in a dangerous area.
59′ Reverse ball in behind by Gosche but it’s cleared away by Ba.
56′ Tiwa and Zahid getting a little cheeky here, trying a neat back-heeled one-two. It’s cleared by Lupe.
54′ Paul Ualesi is screaming for a booking for the goalscorer for a challenge on Suivai Ataga, but nothing given.
53′ GOAL! Lupe Ole Soaga 1-3 Ba FC! It’s a mountain for the visitors to climb now as Matayalo completes his hat trick! It was a brilliant save by Sikovi to deny the first effort but Matayalo was on hand to fire home.
50′ Ba settling into their rhythm once more, Lupe looking for the counter-attack as their main offensive weapon.
46′ GOAL! Lupe Ole Soaga 1-2 Ba FC! Matayalo has his second, picking up the pieces after Sikovi fumbles and smashing it home!
46′ Immediately Lupe has a chance on the break but Vesikula is across well to make the tackle.
Kick-off! Back underway in Ba.
HALF TIME LUPE OLE SOAGA 1-1 BA FC
How Ba don’t have the advantage at the break, we’ll never know. Chance after chance fell their way, but credit Lupe for their resilience and opportunism to score their goal. It’s level at half time.
45′ A yellow card for Lupe’s Andrew Setefano. A bit of light rain starting to fall here in Ba.
45′ Another through ball not cleared by the defender and Gosche was in were it not for the intervention of Nairube.
45′ A chance here on the break for Lupe, but Malo takes on his man and the defender is up to the task.
45′ A small conference going on at the back for Lupe, Sikovi isn’t taking is goal kicks. Perhaps an injury for the in-form stopper?
44′ …and it’s the left foot of Linderboom but Sikovi dives to his right to make the save. Corner to Ba, but it’s into the side netting.
44′ Linderboom and Tiwa standing ominously over the set piece…
43′ Linderboom is brought down on the edge of the area, fairly cynical challenge. The referee is speaking to the captain as a result and issues a yellow card to Lapa Toni.
42′ Taylor holds the ball up well, dummies the shot and then fires from the edge of the area. Nairube is down well to save.
41′ Some gorgeous wing play by Nakawula, he knocks the ball one way and runs the other around the defender, his cross is deflected and Tiwa tries the volley, but it rolls well wide.
41′ Linderboom heads narrowly wide from the corner.
40′ Close! Cross comes in, Linderboom gets there ahead of his marker but diverts the ball wide! The referee points for a corner so that must have been a miraculous piece of defending.
38′ Malakai Tiwa tries his luck but it’s deflected and loops into the arms of Sikovi.
37′ GOAL! Lupe Ole Soaga 1-1 Ba FC! Silao Malo has the most unlikely of equalisers as he capitalises on a horrible error by the Ba defender, runs through and keeps his calm to score! And Silao Malo, who was the leading scorer in the preliminary tournament last year, has the honour of the competition’s thousandth goal.
34′ Substitution for Lupe as Faafua Ataga Laloata comes on for Kareti Soafa.
33′ Lapa Toni is given room to move but the goalkeeper Nairube is off his line to save.
32′ GOAL! Lupe Ole Soaga 0-1 Ba FC! The goal comes at last! Nawakula beats his man, crosses along the by-line and all Matayalo has to do is tap it home. One nil, and that’s goal number 999 in the Champions League.
30′ Ba’s central defensive pairing have scarcely had to drop in behind halfway in this past 15 minutes. It’s been relentless from the home side.
29′ Matayalo tries a speculative overhead kick in the area when teed up by a cheeky flick.
28′ He’s off the field temporarily and Lupe are down to ten again.
27′ Another chance for Ba! Linderboom gets room in the Lupe penalty area, he beats the keeper but it’s just around the upright. They’re just holding on here Lupe, and another player is down to receive treatment in almost the exact same area Ataga went down earlier.
27′ A free kick on the left hand side is straight at Sikovi and he saves well.
26′ Rare foray into opposition territory for Lupe, but the ball holds up in the wet and Gosche has it taken away from him by Tiwa.
25′ Linderboom is wide open from the resulting corner but can’t direct his header goalwards.
25′ And again! The crowd is on its feet, they think Zahid must score, but Sikovi reacts well and palms it away to safety!
24′ Sikovi is out smartly to smother the effort
. Still 0-0 but Ba have had three golden opportunities in the past five minutes or so.
23′ The Samoans are struggling somewhat to play the ball out beyond halfway, and a vocal crowd are getting in behind the hosts.
22′ The injured Suivai Ataga is back on the park.
22′ Close again! Linderboom holds the ball up well, tees it up for Tiwa to shoot from distance and it’s back off the upright again! Ba well and truly on top right now.
21′ Another effort from distance but Sikovi is up to the task. Perhaps a tactic for the hosts, trying to use the conditions to expose Sikovi, who fumbled a routine save on Saturday against Pirae for the Tahitians’ second goal.
20′ Close! Free kick drifted in and Sikovi punches the header clear, but he can do nothing but watch as Matayalo’s shot comes in and cannons off the post.
19′ Linderboom and Zahid try a one-two but the execution is missing. Lupe are down to 10 men for a moment as the injured player receives treatment on the touchline.
16′ Nawakula in space but his cross is away from the attacker. Play is halted momentarily for an injury to a Lupe player.
14′ Gannon puts it in a dangerous area but the header loops over the crossbar.
14′ Good turn of pace by Luki Gosche and he wins a free kick for his side in a dangerous area.
14′ The cross nearly finds Linderboom in acres of space but a last-ditch intervention clears the ball for Lupe. Promising period this from Ba.
13′ Room for Zahid to shoot but it’s blocked well by the covering defender on the edge of the area.
12′ From the resulting free kick, Gannon picks out a defender at the back post but Nairube is on hand to punch clear.
11′ Tekiate is spoken to after a heavy challenge on Gannon.
10′ Tiwa through to Zahid, he finds Linderboom in a dangerous area but the flag is up for offside.
9′ Gannon’s at it again, winning the ball in a dangerous position but Soafa can’t control his pass. Lupe have rallied well after a slow start.
9′ Plenty happening here, the conditions making it difficult for defenders to judge the flight and bounce of the ball.
8′ Gosche and Malo combine well down the left touchline, but the winger’s cross is miscued wide for a goal kick.
7′ A long ball by Scott Gannon, it’s misjudged by the defender and Soafa is nearly through on goal. Corner for Lupe, this is where they’re dangerous…
6′ Ba winning every 50-50 in the middle of the park to start here.
6′ Great start this by the hosts. Linderboom is through on goal after a wonderful through ball by Malakai Tiwa, but he slips at the final moment and his shot goes wide.
5′ Great tackle by Setefano to deny Matayalo a sight on goal.
4′ Linderboom and Zahid combine again on the left but the former’s cross is too deep and evenutally cleared for a corner.
2′ Captain Abbu Zahid does brilliantly on the left wing, turning past two defenders but Linderboom’s backheel is comfortable for Sikovi.
Kick-off! Referee Maru blows his whistle and we are underway at last in Group A.
Pre-game
Welcome to a wet Govind Park for this afternoon’s games. Heavy rain in Ba has delayed kick-off in both matches today, so Lupe v Ba will begin at 5pm and Gaitcha’s game against Pirae will commence at 7:30pm. A few puddles on the field around halfway but otherwise conditions have cleared since earlier this afternoon.
Big game for the home side Ba, who can tighten their grip on Group A with a win. Meanwhile, Lupe are looking to add to Saturday’s heroics by going one better against the Fijian side.
The teams are out onto the field and kick-off is moments away.
Lupe Ole Soaga
Team list: 1. Ted SIKOVI (GK), 2. Vaalii FAALOGO (C), 3. Andrew SETEFANO, 4. Vito LALOATA, 5. Suivai ATAGA, 6. Lionel TAYLOR, 7. Silao MALO (VC), 8. Karetia SOAFA, 9. Lapalapa TONI, 10. Luki GOSCHE, 13. Scott GANNON
Substitutes: 11. Ishmael TAULAI, 12. Faafua ATAGA LALOATA, 14. John TE’O, 22. Mataio TOETU, 16. Soliai LETUTUSA, 17. Ikenasio GOSCHE, 18. Oscar AMATAGA, 19. Paul UALESI, 20. Apisaloma FAAFUA LEIATAUA, 21. Vaa TAUALAI
Injured 15. Victor LAPALAPA
Coach: Paul UALESI (SAM)
Ba FC
Team list: 1. Misiwani NAIRUBE (GK), 2. Avinesh SUWAMY, 3. Meli CODRO, 4. Manasa NAWAKULA, 6. Jone VESIKULA, 9. Abbu ZAHID (C), 11. Alvin SINGH, 12. Remueru TEKIATE, 15. Saula WAQA, 16. Malakai TIWA, 23. Keegan LINDERBOOM
Substitutes: 5. Ronil KUMAR ,7. Laisenia NAIOKO, 8. Jonetani BUKSH, 13. Kini VILIAME, 14. Shameel RAO, 17. Narendra RAO, 19. Josefata NEIBULI, 20. James HOYT, 21. Shaneel NAIDU (GK), 22. Jone SOROLO (GK)
Absent: 10. Mavileko NAKAMA, 18. Praneel NAIDU
Coach: Shalen LAL (FIJ)
Referee: Albert MARU (PNG)
Assistant Referee 1: Mark WHITEHEAD (NZL)
Assistant Referee 2: Christopher WOLKEN (NZL)
Fourth Official: Ichikawa POLOVILI (TON)