SYDNEY Nadro players and fans celebrate its IDC victory after a 3-1 win over Rewa at Bonnyrigg White Stadium on Sunday.

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Ba poised to face Team Wellington

Fiji Sports

Ba's Saula Waqa after scoring his second goal against AS Pirae Ba's Saula Waqa after scoring his second goal against AS Pirae

Ba will face Wellington United in the semi-finals of the Fiji Airways OFC Champions League in Suva on Tuesday after downing Tahitian club AS Pirae 2-0 in the final group game at Govind Park last night.


National under-20 rep Saula Waqa starred for the 4R Electrical Men in Black once again scoring both goals.

With the double, Waqa has pushed his tally to five in the tournament and is a frontrunner for the golden boot award.

The victory has also guaranteed the Fiji Football Association two spots at the OFC Champions League next year.

Ba went into the match adopting an attacking three, five, two pattern and this proved fruitful early with Waqa driving in a powerful left footer in the 15th minute.

The home team led 1-0 at the break. Waqa doubled the advantage in the 55th minute with a right footer from the edge of the box.

Coach Shalen Lal substituted Waqa immediately after the goal to rest him ahead of the semi-final.

The injury hit AS Pirae team created rare opportunities upfront and barely threatened Ba goalkeeper Misiwani Nairube who captained the team.

To add to AS Pirae's misery, their coach Sam Garcia was shown the red card by referee Robinson Banga of Vanuatu and spent the last quarter watching the match from the grand stand.

Avinesh Waran Suwamy and Keegan Linderboom hit the post in the later stages of the game.

A melee between the players in injury time saw Nairube and AS Pirae's Heiarii Tavanae receiving yellow cards.

Lal said the boys lifted themselves playing better football.

"We went to the match knowing that a draw would get us through but we kept the boys focussed by telling them that we had to win," he said.

"The result speaks for itself. In the first half the boys panicked a bit as AS Pirae adopted to play fast football through the flanks.

Lal said they would treat Wellington United with respect.

"We will take each game as it comes," he said.

"The concentration was on the group stage and it now shifts to the semi-final which will be higher quality football."

In the other semi-final, Auckland City will face Gaitcha of New Caledonia. Both semi-finals will be held at the ANZ Stadium.

Ba is Fiji's most successful team at the OFC Champions League reaching the semi-finals on three occasions. During the 2007 edition the Men in Black reached the final against Waitakere United only to lose out on the away goals rule.

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