Bula FC have booked their ticket to the Leaders Group after a gutsy 2-1 win over Auckland FC in their final home outing of Round 5 at 4R Electrical Govind Park in Ba.
Pinned back for long stretches of the contest, Bula struck twice in the first half through Roy Krishna and Sterling Vasconcellos, handing Auckland FC just their second loss of the season and capping a round of upsets that saw both of the league’s top two fall.
The hosts owed much to goalkeeper Didier Desprez inside the opening ten minutes, as he produced a string of sharp saves to deny Kian Donkers from close range and parry a venomous Liam Gillion free kick. Defender Scott Wara joined the rearguard action with a goal-line clearance to thwart James Bayliss, as Auckland set the tempo early.
Auckland responded by reasserting its grip on possession, with Matty Ellis stinging Desprez’s palms from distance. Their missed chances came back to bite them when Bula struck again through the country’s favourite son. National icon and Fiji’s all-time leading scorer Roy Krishna rolled back the years on the counter, threading a stunning solo run before finishing with trademark composure in the 35th minute – his third goal of the campaign.
Auckland pulled one back before the interval, veteran striker Emiliano Tade linking up with Daniel Normann inside the box before halving the deficit.
Luke Casserly’s side, chasing a third straight win on Fijian soil, pushed forward again after the restart with Tade’s goal fuelling their belief. But Bula, with a Leaders Group place now within touching grasp, dug their heels in and made life increasingly difficult for the visitors.
Casserly countered by introducing Oscar Faulds, Isa Prins and Reid Drake, but the Auckland attack repeatedly ran into the imposing figures of Wara at the back and Desprez between the posts. Tempers frayed in the closing stages, and Auckland captain Tass Mourdoukoutas was shown a straight red card following an off-the-ball scuffle.
The final whistle was met with roars of celebration from the Bula faithful, a fitting send-off to their home round. While the hosts now turn their attention to the Leaders Group in Round 6, Auckland FC remain in Fiji for one more assignment – a rescheduled Round 3 clash with South Island United in Ba on Tuesday afternoon.
