Old Bens Veterans win Soccer Masters Sevens on penalties
Champions Old Bens Veterans
Old Bens Veterans Sports Club won the Sri Lanka Soccer Masters Association 7 – a – side 15th annual over 40 soccer tournament on a penalty shootout in the final between Old Bens Veterans Sports Club and Badulla District Veterans Sports Club. The match could not be played due to bad light at Cooray Park on Sunday (Nov 13).
After a lengthy discussion among the Organisers SLSMA and the two clubs it was decided to go for the tie breaker which the Old Bens Veterans S C won by 3 to 2 on penalties.
A. B. Nathar of Old Bens Veterans won the Most Valuable player award of the tournament and S. M. Anees of Badulla Veterans won the Most Valuable goal keeper of the tournament. Both received a cash prize of Rs. 7,500/- each.
The champions Old Bens Veterans were presented with the Trophy, Medals and a cash prize of Rs.75,000/- Runner-up Badulla Veterans received a trophy, medals and a cash prize of Rs.50,000/-.
Thirty three teams participated comprising Colombo, Badulla, Trincomalee, Ampara, Negombo, Puttalam, Kegalle and Vavuniya. The first round matches were played on league basis with eight groups and the group leaders qualified to play in the quarter finals.
Three of the quarter finals were decided on penalties and only one match was decided by a goal scored during the match.
Princess Veterans were the only club to beat Java Lane Veterans by one goal to nil.
Both semi finals too were decided on penalties after both matches ended in a goalless draw.
Old Bens Veterans beat Princess Veterans and Badulla Veterans beat Maligawatte Veterans with an identical margin of 3 to 2 on penalties.
Founder and President of SLSMA gave away the main awards.
The Champion Old Bens Veterans team: Sampath Perera (Captain), A.B. Nather, A. R. C. Wallace, Sisira Perera, T. M. C. R. Rameez, T. Johnson, Jude Perera, Dinesh Manjula, S. Priyantha, W. D. M. K. Fernando, W. D. S. D. Fernando, X. C. Fernando, S. Balendran, Ravi Alphonso, Pradeep Nishantha.
Runner-up Badulla Veterans team: S. M. Anees (Captain), V. A. G. Ebert Silva, S. A. Weerasinghe, S. U. Weerasinghe, S. M. Razaak, A. G. N. Hanif, L. J. Liyanage, M. Kaleel, Anil Ratnayaka, Nalaka Samarasinghe.