Zahira Colombo clinches title for third successive year
Hosts and defending champions Zahira College Colombo retained the 10th Zahira Super 16 7-a-Side title with a close 1-0 win over St. Benedict’s College in the final played at the Zahira grounds in Maradana yesterday.
Champions Zahira in action vs Nalanda - Pic by Ranjith Perera
The final played under heavy downpour saw the two sides changing after the first session deadlocked with neither of them being able to score. A goal in the very first minute of the second half booted by Ahamed Zakir helped Zahira to take the lead.
The heavy underfoot conditions prevailing saw the two sides having a tough time in controlling the ball. But Zahira however managed to keep their opponents at bay and in the process clinched the title for the third successive year.
Meanwhile Zahira Mawanella, Royal and Maris Stella won the Shield, Bowl and Plate championships defeating De Mazenod, Isipathana and Nalanda respectively. Lumbini MV took the third slot in the Cup segment with a 2-1 win on penalties over St. Joseph’s after a scoreless match.
The 10th Zahira Super 16 7-a-Side soccer tournament saw the participation of 16 teams which was divided into four groups of four in each. The participating teams being host Zahira, Royal, Zahira Mawanella, Nalanda, Holy Cross, Maris Stella, St. Thomas’ Matara, Lumbini MV, Al Aqsa Kinniya, St. Benedict’s, Wesley, St. Mary’s Kegalle, Manipai Hindu College, Isipathana and St. Joseph’s.
| Results: Finals: Shield: Zahira Mawanella beat De Mazenod 2-1 (Penalty shootout). Bowl: Royal beat Isipathana 3-1. Plate: Maris Stella beat Nalanda 2-1 (Penalty shootout). Cup: Zahira Colombo beat St. Benedict’s 1-0. Semi Finals: Shield: Zahira Mawanella beat St. Mary’s Kegalle 2-1 (Penalty shootout), De Mazenod beat St. Thomas’ Matara 2-0. Bowl: Royal beat Wesley 1-0, Isipathana beat Holy Cross 1-0. Plate: Maris Stella beat Al Aqsa Kinniya on toss. Nalanda beat Manipai Hindu College 2-0. Cup: Zahira Colombo beat St. Joseph’s 1-0, St. Benedict’s beat Lumbini MV 1-0. |