FOOTBALL deserted Bula FC when it mattered most.
Despite creating a flurry of attacking opportunities and registering a dozen near-scoring chances, Bula FC failed to find the back of the net, eventually falling 2–0 to Vanuatu United FC.
Coach Stephan Auvray did not shy away from the reality after the match, admitting that missed opportunities proved costly.
“We had the chances, but we didn’t take them,” Auvray acknowledged, a frank assessment that underlines the fine margins in football.
For Bula FC, the performance showed promise in build-up play and attacking intent, but at this level, dominance without goals counts for little.
Vanuatu United FC were clinical, converting their opportunities, while Bula’s profligacy in front of goal ultimately defined the contest.
Marquee striker Roy Krishna had little to no impact on the game.
While the age-defying forward continues to give his all, he appeared short of sharpness in key finishing positions and he was not alone.
Krishna has yet to find his footing in the OFC Professional League.
His experience, so valuable in previous campaigns, has not translated into decisive moments, perhaps a reflection of the heightened competition compared to what he faced in Indian football.
Unless Krishna’s supporting cast Nabil Begg, Kyle Auvray and Christopher Wasasala begin to anticipate and attack opportunities with greater urgency, Bula FC risk playing catch-up football and, worse, losing control of matches they otherwise dominate.
“I take the blame for the change in structure of the game. We need to do that for the growth of the team; it’s about building for the seasons ahead,” Auvray added, insisting the outcome could have been different had even a fraction of the eleven chances been converted.
Bula FC had earlier drawn 2–2 with Vanuatu United FC in their debut outing in the OFC Professional League Round 1 cluster.
While progress appears evident for the Vanuatu side, the Fijian outfit is left searching for sharper solutions in front of goal if it hopes to remain competitive.
The result leaves Bula FC reflecting not on effort, but on execution because in football, creating chances wins applause, but converting them wins matches.
