Royal Institute and the British School of Colombo, by conquering their semi final opponents in the Dialog International Schools Football Challenge, have now advanced into the finals of the tournament, which is to be played on Tuesday from 3.30pm at the CR&FC grounds in Longdon Place.
Royal Institute had to toil hard in the field to eke out their win over a very resilient Elizabeth Moir team. The fact that both teams had an equal share of possession was a reflection of the free flowing nature of the game.
Although it was Royal Institute who went ahead in the 20th minute, courtesy of a curling free kick from Adam Nuhadh that burst into the top corner of the goal, Elizabeth Moir also had two very good chances to trouble the scorers. Both of these were parried away thanks to the lightning quick reflexes of Royal Institute goalie Sanka Bandara. As the time whittled down, each team determinedly tried to knock one more in, but it was not to be, and the match ended 1-0 in favour of Royal Institute, to the joy of their legions of fans.
The match between the British School in Colombo and Gateway College was an equal humdinger. Gateway College went into the game bearing the confidence of being the table leaders throughout the league stages, but was jolted by the brand of attacking football British School was throwing at them.
Gateway’s defensive wall finally cracked in the second half when BSC’s Sangamin Bak slotted one in to give them a decisive lead which would take them into the finals.
In Tuesday’s final Royal Institute will enjoy a slight edge as favourites due to the fact that they have claimed the International Schools Football Challenge trophy six times, beginning from 2001. However this is unlikely to deter the gritty boys from British School, who will be looking to win the tournament for the first time. The third place final, between Gateway and Elizabeth Moir, will be played an hour and a half before the grand finals, at the same venue.
British International School Colombo (Standing Left to Right): Minsuk Kwak, Thomas Pittus, Taarun Sinniah, Ilsoon Hwane, Yusuf Abdul Hussain, Thaabit Ahamed [coach] Thisura, Azaad Marso, Laurent Swyngedauw, Philippe KHUN ,(Seated Left to Right) –Sangamin Bak, Shalin Samarasuriya, Paul Chung, Iran Amerasinghe, Junseok Kway, Lin Suj Kane. |
Royal Institute (Standing left to right) : Steve Thomson, Faran Uvais, Lahiru Priyashan, A Visuva, Shannan Salgado, Fazil Darhaman, Nawwaf Abdulla, Akila Assalaarachchi, Adhil, Abdullah Noohu, Risafath Ahamed,(Seated Left to Right) Ravi, Akshay Rajmohan, Adam Nushad, Harein Sachithanantham, Amman Naseem, Koufal, Mohamed Jaisham, Haikal Jameel, Lahiru Prtyashan, Sanka Bandara
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