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| Chrisantha Abeysekera who was responsible in scoring two goals is seen booting the third goal of Ratnam.-Picture by Saman Kariyawasam |
Ratnam SC prevailed in a penalty shoot out in a game of fluctuating fortunes against Army to bag the Holcim FA Cup played at the City Football League Complex ground in Slave Island.
The full time ended with three goals a piece after Army had taken an early 2-0 lead at the breather. Army who dominated the first session of play was almost a disjointed side in the second session as Ratnam equalised it within a space of ten minutes.
Ratnam seemed to have the match in the bag when they took the lead but it was not to be as the Army fought back with vengeance to make it three all. From there on it were missed opportunities for both the teams till referee Dilan Perera blew the long whistle.
The first session saw making breath taking moves and they succeeded in the 19th minute with a goal off the boot of Kelum Premanyake. Four minutes Army increased the lead when K.N. Pushpakumara found the net off a long pass from Mohamed Izzadeen.
It was Ratnam’s turn in the second half when they made their first scoring in the seventh minute due to a fumble by an Army player with Dudley Steinwall taking advantage to beat the Army goalie.
Ten minutes later Chrisantha Abeysekera surprised the Army goalie to make it two all. Ratnam with their new found success kept up the pressure and again succeeded in the 28th minute when Chrisantha Abeysekera booted his second goal off a long pass which was a rebound off the Army goalie’s hand. Army not to be out done in a do-or-die effort managed to equalize in the 33rd minute when the Ratnam goalie failed to hold on to the ball. This ended up with Kelum Premanayake following it up and sending it to the net.
With no more scoring being done the decision of the game was going to be on the penalty shoot out of five for each side. Ratnam began with success with Chrisantha Abeysekera making no mistake.
They succeeded in booting two more through Dudley Steinwall and Tharusha Ranga which was the decider and with Army failing with their kicks it ended in 3-0 in favour for Ratnam SC.
This was the fifth time that Ratnam has won the title having earlier emerged the FA Cup champions in 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006. |
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