7 Feb 2011

Frustration for Fiji's Lautoka and Amicale as chances go begging

11:22 am on 7 February 2011

TheFiji football champions Lautoka were stunned 6-1 at home by winless Koloale in a weekend of upsets in the Oceania Champions League.

After taking an early lead, Lautoka goalkeeper Jone Sorolo was sent off for a foul on Ian Paia in the box.

Jeffery Bule converted the penalty to make it 1-all and from their the goals continued to fly.

The Lautoka President Shalendra Prasad says it was doubly frustrating as they had been dominating the match prior to having their keeper dismissed.

"We were in the lead with a one nil score margin and our attacking full force was more than what Koloale was giving us and definately a red card put us on the defeating line because the team would have done much much better. It would have been a whole different scoreline."

Still in Group A, Amicale FC were left ruing a late equaliser by Hekari United that salvaged a 3-3 draw in Port Vila.

Coach William Malas says they also made an error in changing their midfield during the second half, leaving the team frustrated it didn't take it's chances.

We thought we were going to win this match so it would be easier for us to go but now we draw. We should win this match and we didn't organise in the last few minutes that caused Hekari to equalise in the last minute. To go in the final of this tournament the road is a little bit hard because I know that Lautoka won't be easy but we will prepare for Lautoka.

In the weekend's other match, Tefana stunned Waitakere United 3-1 in Tahiti.