Favourites Gateway crowned champs after 6-goal spree
(from left): Nanishka Kaggodarachi, Areeb Niyas and Infas Iqbal won individual awards
Gateway College, Colombo was crowned champions after beating Lyceum International School, Panadura 6-0 in the final of the International Schools Under-20 Football Championship played at the Gateway Football ground on Thursday.
From the start, Gateway was ahead of the game as they scored their first goal inside the first six minutes. Their opponents Lyceum Panadura had opportunities throughout the match, but failed to capitalise. Another highlight was the defence of the Gateway side. Their defiant defence prevented the Lyceumers from scoring.
The pressure was mounting on the Lyceumers as they weren’t able to provide any resistance for the opponent’s strikers Areeb Niyas and Nanishka Kaggodarachi. In end of the first half, Gateway led 3-0.
In the second half Gateway prospered on their dominance, scoring three more goals to clinch the title with a commanding win.
The Player of the Final was Areeb Niyas of Gateway, Colombo, who scored four goals in the important final, which enabled his team to win the tournament for the fourth time, with a score of 6-0.
Nanishka Kaggodarachi of Gateway won the Golden Boot for his 24 goals across six matches and overall performances throughout the tournament. Gateway’s Infas Iqbal won the Best Goalkeeper award for conceding only six goals throughout the tournament and having two clean sheets as well.
Champions Gateway
Two new records were established by Nanishka Kaggodarachi, who became the highest scoring player in an entire tournament. He also became the highest scoring individual in a single game netting nine goals in a single match, beating the previous record held by his brother Samunu Kaggodarachi.
Two team records were also established during this year’s tournament as Gateway College broke the record for the most goals scored in a single match, beating Lyceum Ratnapura 16-1. They also became the highest goal scorers as a team in the tournament’s history with 52 goals coming in six games.
Lyceum Panadura
The tournament had the participation of 14 teams. In the first semi-final Lyceum Panadura beat Lyceum Nugegoda by 2-1 while in the second semi-final Gateway, Colombo beat Gateway, by 5-2.
Gateway, Colombo kicked off the tournament by beating Stafford International School by 5-0 the, before the match was abandoned due to poor weather conditions after 20 minutes of play. The victory was awarded to Gateway after Stafford refused to play the re-match. Gateway’s second group match came with a 6-2 win over Elizabeth Moir School, before they topped the group after thrashing Lyceum Ratnapura 16-1.
Setting up a quarter-final encounter with British School of Colombo, Gateway emerged victorious with a score of 14-1. In the semi-final they thumped Gateway, Kandy 5-2, before the big 6-0 win against Lyceum, Panadura in the final.
Runners-up Lyceum, Panadura too was unbeaten throughout the tournament. They beat Colombo International School – Colombo, Royal Institute, Lyceum Wattala and Lyceum Nugegoda in the semi-final by 2-1, before ending their unbeaten streak against Gateway, Colombo.