FORMER NATIONAL rep Batram Suri and veteran midfielder Henry Fa’arodo Jnr applauded the performance by the country’s national men’s senior national team against A-League giants Sydney FC despite the result.
The national side were beaten 4-1 by the full-time professional club in Sydney last Sunday.
Fa’arodo who used to play with Perth Glory during his peak years credited the boys for putting on a fantastic performance against the much fancied Sydney FC.
The veteran play-maker said the boys started the match quite slow and as a result Sydney punished them with four cheap goals in the first half.
“We conceded four soft goals” which should have been dealt with by our defenders.
“We struggled a bit to get into the game” but managed to put our heads together and in some parts of the first half we did well.
The captain highlighted in an email that the lads gained momentum in the latter part of the first 45 minutes.
“We controlled the game and created more than four goal scoring opportunities and we did look dangerous going forward on the counter in the attacking third of the pitch,” he said.
After a team talk in the dressing room, the national started the second stanza much stronger.
“In the second half we started the game stronger and we moved the ball more positively.”
The most decorated midfielder in the current squad believes that the lad’s positive build up play led to “Dennis Ifunaoa cutting in from the left and unleashing a great effort from the edge of the 18 yard box to score their lone goal.”
He also attributed the back four sharpness to hold the Sydney attackers and did not concede a goal in the second half which is a positive to be taken from the friendly.
On same line, Solomon Islands most capped footballer Batram Suri said we should be proud of the boys even though the results was not on our side.
“It is a good thing to have our national team playing friendly matches out of the country.
“Playing a friendly against a professional side like Sydney gives our boys a good test because it is not easy to against fulltime professionals,” he said.
The legend credited SIFF president for sending the national side on tour overseas.
“Early preparation like the international friendlies will help the national team’s coach find areas needs to be improve in the team.
“It’s good to have buildup friendlies to better the understanding between national players to play as a team,” Suri added.
The former Solomon Islands international said for him in friendlies the result doesn’t matter but players need to learn from the positives and improve as they prepare for major tournaments.
The side will play its second friendly match tomorrow.
By SIMON ABANA
In Suva, Fiji
