St. Henry’s, Jaffna stun Zahira 3-1
Champion St. Henry’s players celebrate their victory - Pix by Amila Gamage
St. Henry’s College, Ilavali, Jaffna may have suffered heavily due to the ethnic strife that existed for three decades, but after eight years later, they are back in business.
On Friday, they stunned much fancied defending champions Zahira to clinch the Kotmale Chox Under-19 Schools Football title — their first in almost 30 years in the final played at the Race Course ground in Colombo.
The scoreline at the final breather read as 3-1 in favour of the Jaffna boys who had been outstanding right through the championships.
The little known players from Jaffna took an early lead when Zahirian Mohamed Musharaf gifted an own goal in just three minutes to the first half. But Zahira came back to hit the equalizer through Mohamed Hammath in the 45th minute to take lemons at 1-1.
With the score was deadlocked on 1-1 both teams gave their hearts out in the second half but boys from Jaffna found the net twice in the 67th and 73rd minute to clinch the coveted title.
Ganeshwarana Antonyraj scored for the winner in the 67th minute to put the defending champions under pressure and six minutes later Alfred Benedict Anojan, who was later adjudged the player of the match, scored the third goal. With a comfortable 3-1 lead with 17 minutes of play left, Henry’s played safe thereafter to seal a memorable win.
Zahira made few shots at the net but could not pass the goalkeeper Ukantheeswaran Amalraj, who was brilliant. St. Henry’s is coached by M.D. Vijekumar.
The winning St. Henry’s College team was represented by Sivakumaran Krishanth, Alfred Thanesh, Alfred Benedict Anojan, Gnaneswaran Antonyraj, Benedict Xavier Kanistan, Renard Johnson John Patrick, Nesarasa Antony Ramesh, Rexus Amalathas Mathusan, Sivakumaran Rubanraj, Sebamalainayagam Jude Suban, Ukantheeswaran Amalraj, Premkumar Sinthujan, Muthulingam Kilaxshan, Ratheeswaran Thanuraj, Johnson Dinald, Vensislas Edveen James, Karunaharan Kajendran, Thankarasa Ajith, Pararasasingam Krishanth, Thomas Jo Angelo, Ananthakumar Kajeevan, Emmanuel Kabistan Kavon, Johnson Anne Henry and Francis Selvarasa Siyansan.
Holy Cross Kalutara beat St. Sebastian’s Katuneriya 1-0 to win the third place playoff. The tournament saw 24 teams across the island competing for the coveted title. The tournament was organised by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka and was sponsored by Kotmale, a subsidiary of Cargills PLC.
