Football: Army beats Saunders 4-2 to retain FA Cup

Army Sports Club beat Saunders Sports Club 4-2 to complete a hat-trick in the Vantage FA Cup Football Tournament final played at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday (1).

Army SC, who won back-to-back FA Cup titles in 2016 and 2017, won it for the third straight year, while claiming the title for the sixth occasion.

At halftime the winners led 2-1. 

M. N. Issaddeen netted a splendid goal in the 16th minute, followed by a brilliant goal from J. Bernard in the 26th minute.

Saunders SC bounced back through a penalty from S. Niresh shortly before half time.

In the second half Army further extended their lead with Issaddeen scoring his second goal of the match in the 84th minute.

Chamod Dilshan scored the second goal for Saunders during injury time before Kasun Pradeep netted the fourth goal for Army to complete a 4-2 victory.

Issadddeen won the Golden Boot Award while his teammate Mohamed Luthifi won the Golden Glove Award.

B. Warakagoda, also from Army, was named as the Most Valuable Player of the final.