Fiji beat India in friendly

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August 12, 2005 18:29 IST

Hosts Fiji exposed the standard of Indian football, shocking the subcontinent team 1-0 in the first-ever international friendly between the two sides at Churchill Park in Lautoka on Friday.

It was India's second defeat on the tour, having earlier lost to local champion side Ba by a similar margin on Wednesday.

The tourists, on whose demand a neutral umpire, Neil Fox of New Zealand, officiated in the match, were done in by a goal by former captain Esala Masi which turned out to be the match-winner.

Masi is the most experienced player in the Fijian line-up, having played in Malaysia and in the Australian League, for Wollongong and Newcastle.

The home side, comprising players who have figured in the Australian and New Zealand Leagues, is placed 10 spots below India (131) in the FIFA rankings.

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