Ecstasy for Police, double agony for Saunders
Police SC won the FA Cup after 11 years
When a game of football is decided on penalty kicks, it is more like a lottery for the ultimate winner. But Police showed abundant skills and tactical nous to blank out the classy looking Saunders SC to emerge deserving winners of the Vantage FA Cup bringing the curtain down on a year-long competition in a football final played at Racecourse grounds on Friday night.
A tournament steeped in history lived up to its billing, producing some sparkling football that titillated the appetite of the connoisseur, and the fans that trooped in to fill the grandstand to brim while others created a healthy buzz in the stands which was almost filled to capacity to provide a perfect finale to the most prestigious football tournament in the country.
The football dished out may not have been vintage stuff but the battle for supremacy between two teams full of talented youth players was nevertheless awe-inspiring. It is a pity when a final of this magnitude has to be decided on penalties but it only serves to heighten competition where new heroes emerge displaying nerves of steel to either slot the ball home or block the kick in a game changing moment that is etched indelibly in our collective memory for years to come.
Police skipper taking custody of the Vantage FA Cup
Little wonder Police waited with bated breath before jumping for joy until Dunsha Perera made no mistake with the final kick to give them a 6-5 triumph after Mahendran Dinesh had saved W.S.L.T. Rangana’s shot to deny Saunders. After a scoreless first half, it was Police who took the lead in the 50th with a superb volley by M.J.R. Mohamed following a sweeping move which was cancelled by a spot kick from Sundaraj Niresh five minutes later.
Police were ecstatic after winning the FA Cup for only the second time after 11 years while perennial champions Saunders had to drown their sorrows after their second successive defeat in the final.
“Saunders is a very good team. They gave us a good fight. We had to fight hard till the final whistle. We missed lot of chances in the first half but we were confident of winning,” said the victorious Police captain Chamika Kumara speaking to the Sunday Times after the final.
“We planned game by game and step by step. We didn’t think about the final. During the last seven days we practiced hard and analysed Saunders’ mistakes and everything went as planned,” he added.
Adopting a 4-4-2 system, Police snuffed out the slick passes of Saunders with precision man-marking marshalled at the back by Lankeshwara allowing them to get into the box very rarely. This forced Saunders to attempt long range strikes without success with two-time Golden Glove winner Dinesh a tower of strength at goal. It was Police who asserted their dominance early in the game having a crack at the goal to send Saunders backpeddling. Playing to a 4-2-4 formation, Saunders clawed their way back with slick passes as Chameera shone both in defence and attack playing on the wing while the Most Valuable Player Niresh served some juicy crosses to stretch the Police defence. After a pedestrian start, the pace picked up a notch with four yellow cards being brandished in the first half and the tempo increased to a crescendo in the second session especially after the scores were locked at 1-1 after 55 minutes of play.
“When I took charge of the team in 2018 we were at bottom of the Sri Lanka Premier League. In the past two years we took part in four tournaments. Out of that in three tournaments we became unbeaten champions – Government Services, Premier League and unbeaten champions in 2019 FA Cup. We lost only in the 2018 FA Cup in the semifinal,” said Police coach Mahinda Galagedera proudly.
“I am happy that we were able to execute what we practiced. All the boys cooperated and performed to the best of their ability. The IGP, senior DIGs, SSPs, Director of Sports, all officers and other ranks gave their fullest support. That is why we were able to play to our potential,” said IP Galagedera. Senior DIG of Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon was among those who played a key role.
“We changed tactics match by match. We studied Saunders and how they played. Basing on that I mapped out strategy. Basically we blocked out their strength and maintained a high level of fitness. Saunders is a formidable team. They are a team which plays in the Champions League. We are only a Premier League team but we should know how to play against any side. I planned strategy according to that and the team executed our plans to perfection,” said Galagedera.
“There are no super stars in my team. All are stars. All are equal and it was a good team effort,” he added.
However, Niresh stood out with outstanding goal keeping.
“We trained for six months and won this cup. We worked hard and it is a team effort,” said Niresh who moved from Jayanthi Vidyalaya at Swarna Chaitiya Road to Hameed Al Hussainie because of his football skills.
It is the likes of players like him that see Police standing tall amid all odds.