Mineiro in for Cafu on tour to Fiji

By Kalesi Mele

Former Brazillian national rep Marcos Evangelista de Moraes better known as Cafu has been ruled out of the Brazil Fair Play 2-match tour scheduled for next month.

This was revealed at the tour ticket launch today by tour director Tomasi Tiko.

Despite the loss, scintillating Carlos Luciano da Silva, better known as Mineiro who formerly played for Chelsea has been included in the squad.

Mineiro is famously known for scoring the winning goal for Sao Paulo against Liverpool in the final of the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship in Japan. He was also part of the Brazil team that featured at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Tiko said the tour was about more than the game of soccer, but about giving back to the community.

“Besides the matches the team will be hosting coaching clinics fro children, it’s about inspiring people through the game of soccer,” he said.

Chief Guest at the event, permanent secretary for the Ministry of youth and sports Josefa Sania said the tour was a boost for football in the country.

“It lifts the morale of the national team and provides an opportunity for football fasn to meet some of their football heroes,” Sania said.

Sania also urged members of the community to contribute to the tour.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our national team and for you fans,” he said.

The Play fair tour will play two matches against the National team at Churchill Park, Lautoka and Govind Park, Ba on August 23 and August 25 respectively.

They will also hold coaching clinics around Fiji and hold skills clinics with elite players, upcoming reps and children and they have also scheduled a visit to the Boys Rehabilitation Centre to offer encouragement and inspiration.

The tickets will be sold at the Battle of the Giant tournament in Lautoka and Fiji Football Academy in Ba. Other outlets will be announced later by the organisers.

Tiko also acknowledged the support of Vodafone in helping meet costs to enable EMH to reduce tickets to a reasonable price.

A limited number of VIP tickets can be purchased for $50. Tickets will go on sale in mid-July.

Vodafone Head of Value Added Service and Corporate Affairs, Shailendra Prasad said, “We are providing a once in a lifetime opportunity for soccer lovers to witness a world class soccer right here in our backyard. There is enormous interest from locals and neighbouring pacific island countries like Solomon, Vanuatu and PNG and even Tahiti and New Caledonia who all love their football to be part of this historic occasion.”

Lautoka:
VIP: $50
Grandstand A: $30
Grandstand B: $20
Grandstand C: $15

Ba:
VIP: $50
Pavillion A Centre: $30
Pavillion B Centre: $30
Pavillion Slides: $20.

Grounds:
Adults: $10
Children U16: $5

FijiLive