Nadi edged newcomers Navua 5-3 in their second Group A match of Day 2 of the 2023 Extra Supermarket Futsal Inter District Championship (IDC) to book a semifinal spot at the Vodafone Arena in Laucala Bay yesterday.
The jetsetters continued their fine form after upsetting defending champions Ba 4-2 on Day 1 of the championship.
Both teams fought hard to go on the scoreboard but it was Navua who broke the deadlock in the 7th minute through Shivneel Chand as he poked on a timely cross from Saimon Lal.
A minute later, Arvind Chand doubled the lead for the southerners taking advantage of a set-piece play from Shalvesh Singh finding Nadi goalkeeper Etuwate Kaveni inches out of his box.
It took some time for Nadi to regroup and it was Junior Wanetatha, who brought the side back into the game with their opening goal in the 10th minute.
Coming off the bench, Nadi brothers Mohammed Kafoa and Mohammed Aryan combined to send Wanetatha for his second goal and hold Navua 2-2 in the 12th minute.
Substitute Captain Shafeem Buksh gave Nadi the lead for the first time in the match after finding the back of the net with a powerful shot in the 19th minute.
Nadi narrowly led 3-2 at half time.
Navua almost made a strong comeback in the second half when Shabneet Chand almost got the leveller in the 21st minute as he saw goalkeeper Kaveni off his line and Chand chipped the ball over, but it went a couple of inches above the uprights.
Nadi lifted its performance and a beautiful set-piece play from Mohammed Ayman allowed pivot Mohammed Shalmeen to sneak in with their fourth goal giving the goalkeeper no chance at all.
Coming off the bench, Shalvesh Singh brought Navua back in the match with their third goal merging the gap to 4-3 but Suva’s Rusiate Matarerega scored the fifth goal for Nadi ensuring the side into the semifinal tomorrow.
Nadi will face Tailevu Naitasiri for their third Group match at 3pm today.
