Dolphins through to quarter-final after thrilling win over Central Rannoga
By Alfred Pagepitu
For the first time since 2019, South Vella Dolphins have made it into the quarter-finals of the Western Cup 2024 Championship, with a dominating performance against Central Rannoga.
South Vella beat Central Rannogga 2-0 in the final match on Saturday to go top of group A with 4 points, while Central Rannogga was eliminated with 1 point, as there are only 3 teams in group A.
The result means that North Rannogga (on 2 points) will be the runner-up in Pool A. South Vella and North Rannogga have both progressed to the quarter-finals.
Under the supervision of South Vella Head Coach Sam Lelapitu and the guidance of Captain Benjamine Kumio, the Dolphins set another record by reaching the quarter-final stage.
Boaz scored in the 42nd minute to give Dolphins a 1-0 lead over Central Ranonga. In the second half, Brian Govo scored a sensational goal in the 68th minute to seal a 2-0 victory for the Dolphins and send them through to the quarter-finals.
Dolphins Skipper Benjamin Kumio told SIBC news that his boys are confident and looking forward to their next matches. He said they will put in extra effort against whichever opponent they face.
Kumio called on supporters to come out in numbers and cheer for both teams.
In Friday’s fixtures, Central Roviana emerged as the frontrunner in Pool B of the 2024 Western Cup Tournament, currently leading the group with 6 points after four days of round-robin matches at the JFK Stadium.
Central Roviana’s last game will be played against Gizo United in the Pool B matches.
Central Roviana’s dominance was on full display in their latest victory, a 2-1 win over South Rendova in the final match of the day on Friday. This result sees them top the pool standings, setting up an intriguing final pool match against second-placed Gizo United.
“The team has been playing exceptionally well this week,” said Central Roviana Head Coach Alec Wickham. “We’ve been disciplined in our approach and it’s paying off on the pitch. My boys are hoping for their remaining games and we are confident,” he told SIBC news.
Elsewhere in Pool B, North Rannogga and Central Rannogga played out a 1-1 draw in a closely contested affair. Junior Rupasi put Central Rannogga ahead in the 7th minute, but Sereham Toata’s 57th-minute strike ensured the points were shared.
This means North Rannogga’s second draw of the tournament means North Rannoga will take on the Pool B winner, and South Vella, who topped Pool A, will take on the Pool B runner-up. These crucial matches will determine who joins either Central Roviana or Gizo United in advancing to the knockout stages and semi-finals.
In the other Pool B match, Gizo United secured their first win of the tournament, defeating East Shortland 2-1. Vincent Kwasi and Hensky Foata were on the scoresheet for Gizo, while Alex Godfrey netted a late consolation goal for East Shortland.
Today’s fixtures will see South Ranonga take on Simbo, South Rendova play against East Shortland, and West Gizo take on Kolombangara at 3 pm.
The results of these matches will further clarify the standings and set the stage for the upcoming knockout rounds of Pools B, C, and D of the 2024 Western Cup Tournament.
ENDS////