Tavua College have ended a seven-year wait for the Extra Fiji Secondary Schools Football Championship Under-19 title after defeating Labasa College 2-0 in the grand final at Subrail Park in Labasa.
Tavua College made the perfect start, scoring two early goals in the first half to take control of the match and put Labasa College under pressure.
They continued to create opportunities through long passes as they searched for a third goal, while Labasa College struggled to break down Tavua's defence.
Backed by thousands of supporters, Labasa College came out strongly in the second half and pushed forward in search of a way back into the match.
However, Tavua College remained disciplined in defence and denied Labasa the breakthrough they needed, holding on until the final whistle to secure a 2-0 victory.
Speaking to fijivillage Sports, Tavua College coach Praneel Kumar says the victory ends a seven-year wait for the Under-19 title, with the school last winning the championship in 2019 when he was also the coach.
Kumar says he is proud to lead Tavua College to another championship and praised his players for their determination and fighting spirit throughout the competition.
He says winning a final at Subrail Park was never going to be easy, but his players deserved the victory because of their hard work and commitment.
Kumar also thanked the fans and supporters who backed the team throughout their campaign and dedicated the victory to the entire Tavua district.
Meanwhile, Ba Sangam College have ended a 10-year wait for Under-17 Boys title after defeating Labasa Muslim College 4-2 in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Defending champions Lautoka Central College have also retained the Under-15 title after defeating AD Patel College 1-0 in the final.
Tavua College have also successfully defended their Open Girls title after coming from behind to beat Dreketi Central College 2-1 in a thrilling final.
