Fijivillage
8 February, 2026, 11:38 am
Central - 29°C Rain
8 February, 2026, 11:38 am Central - 29°C Rain

Soccer player and coach lose their lives in tragic road accident

Soccer player and coach lose their lives in tragic road accident

By Rashika Kumar
03/10/2020
16-year-old, Sainaz Begum Dreketi women’s soccer coach, Karalaini Matare -[Photo: Fiji-FA]

National Under-16 soccer trialist, 16-year-old, Sainaz Begum and Dreketi women’s soccer coach, Karalaini Matare lost their lives in the tragic road accident on the Labasa/Nabouwalu Highway near Nabavatu yesterday.

They were going for their training when the accident occurred.

Police say the two were walking along the road when a man from Namaka, Nadi allegedly failed to negotiate a bend and lost control of his truck which was loaded with logs.

As a result, the truck tumbled and the logs fell and hit the girl and the woman who were walking on the side of the road.

Fiji FA’s President, Rajesh Patel says Matare was a passionate coach and Begum was just an upcoming player who had football at heart.

He says Begum had been playing for the Dreketi women’s team and was a prospect that undoubtedly would have had a bright future in the game.

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