A classic game as Kandytake on Navy today
A classic game is in the offing when Kandy SC takes on the Navy at Nittawela this evening. A win will enhance title hopes, while a loss would not necessarily mean ‘curtains.’ Navy emerged triumphant in last weekend’s battle although territorially the visitors were dominant.
Kandy SC made too many mistakes in defense and the sailors were quick to capitalize on them. The set pieces were also dominated by the many times-crowned champions. But they made crucial mistakes. The telling factor was that Navy was hungrier. They had a greater desire to win. In many matches this season Kandy has been let down by poor goal kicking. Roshan Weeraratne, whatever his other virtues, has been way off the mark on many occasions. By contrast, in Dev Anand the Navy has a fairly reliable kicker. Kandy SC has not been the irresistible, indomitable force they were in recent times. They had a brush with defeat in the Army game. Their indifferent performances saw them lead the points table for only a week. Something unthinkable!
Some rugby analysts feel that Kandy has not been playing together. The defense is suspect while they don’t seem to have enough variation in attack. There is a school of thought which feels that they play the same brand of rugby right through. Not enough line out plays and little effort at upsetting the opponents psychologically.
Victor meets vanquished once again in a mere seven days, what cannot be cured must, of necessity, be endured. Some might feel that the seven days one not sufficient to get rid of the hobgoblins: not enough time to analyse the match, build up confidence and re-group.
Injury has forced the Kandy skipper Saliya Kumara to sit this game out. His replacement is small matter Tharindu Chanaka, the Antonian skipper of 2010. What he lacks in physique, he tries to make up with spunk and willingness.
The doubts and lingering suspicious will be things of the past as a Japanese referee is down to blow this game. Kandy Team: Heshan Kalhara, Achala Perera, Loatu Kioa, Dinush Sanjeeva, Shanaka Bandara (Capt),Asitha Rathayake, Sean Wijesinghe, Sashika Jayawaredena, Roshan Weeraratunge, Fazil Marija, Mohamed Jabbar, Etuate Lohea, Pradeep Liyanage, Gayan Weeratunge, Tharindu Chanaka.
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Kandy ground Air ForceHavelocks in action. Pic by Ranjith Perera