Image: Fiji Football Association
TE EITEI, the Kiribati national football team, made history last week after winning the international tournament in Fiji.
Kiribati joined the Oceania Football Confederation but is not a full member of FIFA, the sport’s global governing body. Te Eitei was one of the invitational teams at the Inter-District Championship in Suva.
Te Eitei defeated Seaqaqa FC 6-1 in the second-tier competition.
Te Eitei first lost to Seaqaqa. After beating Nadroga, they qualified for the semifinals. After beating Fiji U17, they earned a rematch with Seaqaqa in the final round.
Coach Tetabo Manaima was very happy with his players’ performance.
“Footballers in Kiribati play soccer on sand because we didn’t have grass football fields. We didn’t know we would win,” said Manaima.
The players will return to Kiribati to focus on player development.