Hosts Hameed Al-Husseinie claim Oxford President’s Cup
View(s):Hosts Hameed Al-Husseinie College clinched the HAH Oxford President’s Cup Football Championship 2020, beating Kalutara Muslim Central College by 2-0 in the final played at the Racecourse ground in Colombo. After leading 1-0 at halftime, Hameed Al-Husseinie College secured an easy 2-0 win after striker Mohamed Sarfan fired both goals for the winners.
He scored the goals in the 40th and 60th minutes of the game, which was largely dominated by Hameed Al-Husseinie College, against the hapless Kalutara lads, who failed to impress in the all important final.
The hero of the final, Sarfan snatched two individual awards on offer by claiming the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament and the Highest Goal Scorer of the Tournament awards. His team mate Mohamed Khalid won the Player of the Match award. Kalutara Muslim Central College had the consolation of taking home the runner-up title while their team’s custodian Mohamed N. Ahamed won the award for the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
In the third place playoff, Maris Stella College, Negombo thrashed S. Thomas’ College by 5 goals to nil, to become winners of the consolation final. Maris Stella led the halftime by 2-0 as Nepuna de Mel struck twice in the 54th and 62nd minutes of the game. Rest of the goals were scored by Supun Peiris, Nishar Fernando and Mohamed Kalam.
Last week, in the first semi-final, Kalutara Muslim Central College did not sweat much as they anticipated to overcome S. Thomas’ College, by a margin of 2 goals to nil. The second semi-final was a contrast from the first, as host Hameed Al-Husseinie College thrashed favourites Maris Stella College by 7 goals to 2 to reach the final, after a wait of two years.
The pending tournament, which was in progress during May of 2020, and was suddenly halted on the second week of the month, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had an overwhelming impact into lives. The tournament had just completed the quarterfinal stage when it was halted.
After exactly two years, the competition resumed from where it was stopped, with the two semi-finals completed by last Sunday, March 20, at the City Football League ground in Colombo.
Hameed Al-Hussienie College was represented by M.F.M. Aasim, M.N.M. Nuskan, M.B.M. Hassan, M.B.M. Hussain, T.B.T. Mohammed, H.R.A. Nieson (Aazath), Dinesh Suren, M.R.M. Sarfan, M.S.M. Khalid, M.A.M. Bilal and M.A.J.M. Arshad. M.N. Abdul Zaid, M.A.M. Awthad, A.N.A. Haliq, M.R.M. Aathif, M.A.M. Akmal, M.Z.M. Zacky, M. Hathim, M.Z. Rihan and Abdul Rahuman.