Hundreds of Solomon Islanders living in and around Melbourne, Australia, packed the Home of the Matildas Stadium in Bundoora on Saturday night to witness the OFC Pro League clash between Bula FC and Solomon Kings.
Goals from Jez Lofthouse and Sota Higashide proved decisive as the Kings bounced back from last week’s defeat to Vanuatu United, defeating Bula FC 2–0 to remain in pursuit of the league’s top two sides.
Speaking after the victory, Kings head coach Benjamin Cahn thanked supporters for turning out in large numbers and providing strong backing for the team.
“Amazing crowd. We can’t thank them enough. I can’t put into words how special it is for the players and staff to have that level of support in another country,” Cahn said.
Cahn added that the overwhelming support played a major role in motivating his players to secure the win.
“The support drove them on and they really wanted to win. We created chances and maybe there was a bit of luck involved, but the boys definitely deserved the victory,” he added.
“To hear the noise and see what it means to the people, when the game got tough, they helped us right until the end.”
Solomon Kings started brightly, with Lofthouse opening the scoring in the 19th minute to give his side a 1–0 lead heading into halftime.
Bula FC responded strongly after the break, dominating possession and creating several scoring opportunities, but were repeatedly denied by Kings goalkeeper Philip Mango.
A key moment arrived in the 60th minute when Kings forward Junior Fordney was brought down inside the penalty box following a swift counterattack.
After a lengthy VAR review, Kings were awarded a penalty, which Higashide calmly converted from the spot.
Bula FC continued to press in search of a breakthrough, but the Kings defence held firm until the final whistle.
“We absorbed a lot of pressure. They had plenty of chances, but the boys dug deep, gave everything, and fought hard for the result,” Cahn said.
The win sees Solomon Kings remain in third place with 14 points from eight matches, just one point behind second-placed South Melbourne FC. Auckland FC stay top of the table with 18 points following their 1–0 victory over Tahiti United over the weekend.
Solomon Kings will conclude their Australian fixtures on Wednesday when they face hosts South Melbourne in their rescheduled Round 1 encounter.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
