Former Fiji and Suva rep Shalen Lal fisted the air in jubilation after guiding his Sydney Ba side to a 2-0 win over New Zealand Ba in a tough final of the 12th Sashi Mahendra Singh Memorial over 35s soccer tournament at Mangere Centre Park Sports Stadium on Monday.
Laced with former Fiji district reps in Luke Tavuyara and Arif Azam Khan, the Sydney Ba side scored first through Sachindra Kamal [Pule] after he carved his way through a lazy NZ Ba side for an early lead with the game barely five minutes into the first half.
Close to the 2500 fans converged at the Mangere Sports Stadium during the five-day tournament and were entertained to good quality soccer. Shalen Lal was the kinpin for the Sydney Ba side and worked tirelessly with midfield maestro Arif Azam Khan and proved to be an able leader.
Lal played a commanding role in the midfield combining well with Arif and threaded quality through passes for his strike force that proved to be a thorn in the opposition danger zone.
Pauliasi Singh and Dheeraj Singh played well in defence and were quick to defuse any attacks that came at random from former Fiji reps and now Wellington based Poasa Tubuna and Sakeo Volavou.
The Sydney Ba side kept the pressure on and after a good set move from the flanks, Lal followed through the scored the second mid way in the first half.
NZ Ba had a chance to get back into the game after the referee awarded a penalty but the most valuable player of the tournament Shalen Nair shot sailed over the cross bar.
Both teams went to the breather with Sydney Ba leading 2-0.
The tempo of the final picked up in the second half and some good interchange of play in the midfield by Ashraf Bhamji and Atish Swamy from the NZ Ba side had the opposition working overtime in defence.
First Choice Sydney Ba keeper Luke Tavuyara sustained a injury while saving a half volley from Sakeo Volavou and had to be replaced by Sachindra Kamal mind way in the second half.
Sydney Ba captain Shalen Lal said they faced tough opposition and it was never going to be an easy match.
"It was indeed good feeling to be playing against former Fiji and district reps and NZ Ba was a very good side," said Lal.
“This was one quality tournament and really suited the title of being the first to be held at the New Centre Park Mangere Stadium.”
The SM SINGH cup has now travelled evenly overseas with it going across the Tasman five times, once to Fiji and has remained in NZ for six occasions. The NZ teams will now have to work hard to go one up next year.
In the semi finals NZ Ba beat a strong Sydney combined side featuring Lorima Batirerega, Isikeli Seva, Livai Duguca and Jope Lomu 1-0 , through a goal by Arafat Bhamji while Sydney Ba pipped NZ Lautoka 1-0 in the second semi-final.
The other Results from Monday:
QF 1 Hamilton 0 Vs Sydney Combine 2
QF 2 NZ Ba 1 Vs NZ Nadi 0
QF 3 Sydney Nadi 0 Vs Lautoka Blues 1 ET
QF 4 Sydney Suva 0 Vs Sydney Ba 2 ET
SF 1 Sydney Combine 0 Vs NZ Ba 1
SF 2 Lautoka Blues 0 Vs Sydney Ba 1
For their fine effort Sydney Ba walked away with the S M Singh Cup, $4000 cash and Gold Medals while NZ Ba were rewarded with the S M Singh Runner Up Trophy $1500 and silver medals.
In the Billy Singh Memorial Cup Over 40s Tournament, defending champions Hamilton lost the title to a determined Sydney Nalawa BV [Black Virus] by 1 -0.
* See details on another report.