Pictured: Before and after ? a player for the Nadi district team slams a penalty goal into the back of the net against Nadroga district.
By Tim O?Connell
Culture, Kava and some truly intense games of football brought some Fijian fire to Gracefield School over Labour Weekend in Wellington?s first inter-district Fijian soccer tournament. And after all the yellow cards and adrenaline-fuelled goal celebrations, it was a team from the Hutt Valley who were able to lay claim to Fijian inter-district soccer supremacy. Well attended, the tournament attracted eight teams from the Wellington region, including a team from Palmerston North. Teams comprised Fijian citizens from various areas around Wellington, mirroring their homeland?s inter district competition by playing under the name of a region in Fiji. Wainuiomata-based Rakiraki, with players from around Hutt, squared off against Wellington?s Tailevu to decide who would be first to have their name engraved on the trophy. Rakiraki achieved a home victory, snatching the win through a penalty shootout after both teams finished locked at 1-1 after extra time. Secretary of the Fiji Football Association of Wellington Dev Singh said the level of competition and interest generated within the community had been very impressive. Given the success of the event, Mr Singh hoped that the tournament would gain momentum to become ?bigger and better? in coming years. Pictured: Before and after ? a player for the Nadi district team slams a penalty goal into the back of the net against Nadroga district.