Lautoka notched a convincing 4-0 win over Fiji FACT and BOG champions Labasa on Day 2 of the Pacific Community Cup 2025, bouncing back strongly after their opening loss to Auckland All Stars.
The result reshapes the early Group B standings with Lautoka moving to second place behind USA All Stars.
After losing 1-2 to Auckland on Day 1, Lautoka looked rejuvenated. Joseph John Minto was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick, while Mohammed Shazil Ali also found the net as Lautoka outclassed a Labasa side that has struggled to find form at Bill McKinlay Park yesterday.
The scoring opened in the 26th minute when Minto capitalised on a well-worked move. Ali doubled the lead two minutes later, before Minto added his second in the 31st minute. He completed his treble in the 55th minute, sealing a comprehensive win for Lautoka.
Labasa, boasting experienced campaigners including Christopher Wasasala, Lekima Gonerau, Simione Tamanisau, and Ilisoni Logaivau, struggled to impose themselves. Their defensive vulnerabilities, exposed in the opening 1-4 defeat to USA All Stars, were again evident as Lautoka dominated possession and created multiple scoring opportunities.
Speaking after the game, Lautoka coach Gordon Paulsen praised his team’s performance.
“Yesterday, the boys performed really well. We dominated a lot of the play, but didn’t create enough opportunities in the final third,” he said of their 1-2 loss to Auckland All Stars on Day 1. “Today (Yesterday), we said to the boys, take the confidence you gained, and once we score, we’ll be unstoppable. Labasa is a very strong team, but we outplayed them.”
Paulsen also highlighted the team’s mix of talent.
“I’ve had the experience of working with some of these boys in the past through BOG and IDC here in New Zealand. It’s great to mix that with some of the Fijian players coming over. They’re starting to gel really well, and they’re believing in what the coaching staff asks them to do on the field.”
Looking ahead to today’s crucial semifinal-deciding match, he added: “More of the same. Play with confidence, play with belief, trust one another, and the results will show. People from Lautoka are very proud, and we’ll make them proud with another strong performance.”
In other Group B matches, the USA All Stars edged AUFFI Australia All Stars 1-0. Peter Ravitisai scored the decisive goal for the Americans, who are now unbeaten in the tournament after their demolition of Labasa. They lead the standings with the maximum points from two wins in two games.
On day three of the games, Lautoka will face AUFFI Australia All Stars at 6:45pm, while Labasa aims to bounce back against Auckland All Stars at 8pm. Lautoka will be looking to secure a semifinal berth, while Labasa must respond to avoid an early exit from the tournament.
