Former Wellington Phoenix striker Roy Krishna has regained his goalscoring touch in time to lead Fiji in the Oceania FIFA World Cup qualifiers against New Zealand’s All Whites.
Krishna scored for his ATK Mohun Bagan club in their 3-1 semi-final loss to Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League on Saturday night (March 12).
The 34-year-old Fijian captain put his side ahead when he ghosted into the Hyderabad penalty box, meeting a cross and turning it into the net.
For Krishna, the goal was a confidence boost after a season disrupted by injury, a dose of COVID-19 and a red card in his comeback game.
He has played only 13 times this season and his latest goal was his sixth of the season and only his second in 2022.
Krishna will head to Qatar where he will join his Fijian squad for the eight-national World Cup qualifying tournament. Fiji are in Group B with New Zealand, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea.
Main photo: Krishna celebrates after scoring in the semi-final.
Video replay: Krishna scores in ISL semi-final
Krishna’s contract at ATKMB ends this year and Krishna may be in the final stages of a career that’s taken him from Fiji club Labasa in 2006 to become one of Oceania’s most prolific goalscorers. He’s among the five top goalscorers in the ISL since its inception in 2014.
After five years with Waitakere United — where he scored 65 goals in 75 appearances — he joined Auckland City and soon won a professional contract with the Phoenix.
Considered the best Fijian footballer ever, Krishna’s place in the game’s history is assured. He was named an Oceania Football Confederation ambassador last year and he’ll remain a fans’ favourite at the Phoenix for whom he scored 65 goals in 122 appearances.
More football stories
Countdown to All Whites v Papua New Guinea match:
