Tavua College have successfully defended their Extra Fiji Secondary Schools Football Championship Open Girls title after coming from behind to beat Dreketi Central College 2-1 in a thrilling final at Subrail Park in Labasa.
Dreketi Central made a strong start, scoring early in the first half and continuing to put pressure on the defending champions with long balls and impressive dribbling.
However, Tavua came out strongly after the break, finding the equaliser early in the second half before striking again just 10 minutes later with a powerful shot to take a 2-1 lead.
Dreketi Central pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Tavua's defence and goalkeeper stood firm to deny them a late goal.
Tavua College coach Jiten Kumar and manager Navneeta Naidu described the final as a tough contest.
Naidu says Dreketi Central's early goal put Tavua under pressure, and her message to the players at half-time was to score early in the second half and get themselves back into the match.
She says winning at Subrail Park was not easy, but the players delivered when it mattered most.
Naidu dedicated the victory to her late husband, who was with the team during last year's campaign.
She also thanked the team's supporters and fans, saying the victory was not only for Tavua College but for the entire Tavua community.
The victory sees Tavua College claim back-to-back Open Girls titles.
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.
The Under-19 final between Tavua College and Labasa College is currently underway.
