Suri sticking to same 11
By Taromane Martin
THE country’s’ national under 19 football team will meet Fiji today at the Stade Pater in Papeete, Tahiti for their second match of the 2018 OFC U-19 Championship.
After claiming respective wins in their opening matches on Monday, Fiji leads Group B with three points via goals difference after taking revenge on Vanuatu 3-1, while Solomon Islands defeated New Caledonia 3-2.
This match is set for 12pm today in what could be the table-topping deciding match for Group B.
Head Coach Batram Suri says he will be sticking to the same squad against New Caledonia because he does not want to disrupt the combination that is starting to build.
“I will be sticking to the same squad I do not want to make too many changes in the starting line-up because if I make too many changes it might affect our game,” he said.
Coach Suri said there are no major signs of injury concerns to his players from their training yesterday and is fully confident in getting three points today.
“There are no major injury concerns to the boys from our training run today.
“A few are having trouble with blisters but as we know blisters are blisters and are not that serious or we can just say are baby ones,” the former Solomon Islands international laughed.
“Apart from that everyone is fine.
“I’m confident in the boys and believe all the hard work they went through to reach this competition is paying off and making everyone wanting to play.
“I’m fully confident and I believe we can get the result tomorrow,” he said.
A win over Fiji mid-day today will guarantee passage into the semi-finals for Batram Suri and the boys.
Starting 11 for Solomon Islands against Fiji today is as follows:
Solomon Islands: 1. Joel NANAGO (GK), 2. George LEAGA, 3. John AETA, 4. Aengari GAGAME, 5. Absolom WAWANE, 6. Patrick TAROGA, 7. Junior DAVID, 8. Henly RAMO, 9. Ali MEKAWIR, 10. Marcus CHAN, 11. Lino HOUAIRIA, 12. Junior MATA (GK), 13. Junior ASHLEY, 14. Franck KABUI, 15. Anthony KASAU, 16. Don KEANA, 17. Tuita MAEOBIA, 18. William KOMASI, 19. Simon JEDZINI, 20. Raynick LAETA
Coach: Batram SURI (SOL)
