Vega-Arango to identify best 11 in Fiji
OUR national men’s football side left the country yesterday for their double header friendlies with Fiji this week ahead of the World Cup qualifiers next month.
Speaking to Star Sports prior to their departure yesterday afternoon, Spaniard Felipe Vega-Arango said he will use the friendlies to identify his strong 11.
“We are going to play two games, friendly games before the big one with PNG. So I need to start with the strong starting 11.”
The Spaniard stressed captain Henry Fa’arodo will not start in the first leg against PNG due to a one match suspension.
“The problem is Henry Fa’arodo won’t be in the starting 11 in the home game. So I need to start with someone who will fill in and then I will move the pieces around to see how things turn out.
“We have two games in 4 days, so I have spoken to the coach of Fiji and it will be realistic for me to use the games as practice,” Vega-Arango said.
The matches are FIFA recognise encounter but the Technical Director said he will give game time to all the travelling players.
“The best thing for me is for everybody to play the same amount of minutes. If we play the first half with a strong 11, were are 24 players, I will like to play the second half with another 11 so everybody gets a playing time,”
Team captain Henry Fa’arodo stated the friendlies with Fiji will help the coaching team.
“I think the good thing about the friendly games is it will show us pretty much where we are as a team.
“The coaching staff will see where we probably need to work on. It will be test for us, as we going to play against a strong side,” Fa’arodo said.
The veteran midfielder added, “the results are not the priority right now but trying out the Spaniard system of playing is the most important thing”.
The national side will play the Fiji side this Friday 26 May at the ANZ Stadium in Suva and travel to the western division for another leg at the Church Hill Park Stadium in Lautoka the sugar city.
Both national teams still have two games left in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Qualifiers OFC Stage three.
Fiji already mathematically out of the race for a place in the final yet to play New Caledonia in a home and away clash.
While, our national side looks to use the two friendly matches as warm-ups ahead of the crucial two legs encounter with PNG next month.
Currently, we are battling with francophone powerhouse Tahiti and PNG for a place in the final against arch rival New Zealand.
By SIMON ABANA