Football: New Star stun Renown in Vantage FFSL President’s Cup 2020 

New Star SC scored a stunning 1-0 win over Renown under lights at Sugathadasa Stadium on Sunday on the opening day of the Vantage FFSL President’s Cup 2020.

A 72nd minute strike by Y.M. Anas was enough to secure New Star victory in a Group B match while New Youngs FC and Matara City Club battled out a 1-1 draw at Racecourse Stadium after two early goals. Weerappuli of Matara City Club found the net in the ninth minute to cancel out Olawale’s sixth minute strike.

Blue Star SC, Kalutara pulled off an impressive 3-1 win against Moragasmulla SC while Up Country Lions snatched a 3-3 draw with a last gasp effort in the opening matches on Sunday.

This is the first time a major football competition is being held after the coronavirus outbreak. The tournament will run until August 31 with the participation of 20 leading clubs in the country.

A brace either side of the interval by I.C. Uwanaka in the 42nd and 56th minutes helped Blue Star triumph despite being down with 10 men at Sugathadasa Stadium after A.W.A.T. Eranga received two yellow cards from referee Lakmal Weerakkody.

Moragasmulla SC pulled one back through a strike by A.G. Eranda Prasad in the 66th minute before Edisan Figarado sealed victory for Blue Star with an 81st minute strike.

Up Country Lions and Java Lane featured in a six-goal thriller at Racecourse Stadium where the lead changed hands.

M.R. Mohamed Nazer drew first blood in the 27th minute to put Up Country Lions ahead while a 34th minute strike by W.B.H.N. Sampath gave them a 2-0 lead.

Java Lane stormed back into contention through Malaka Perera’s goal in the 38th while Abdul Latheef’s got the equaliser after the interval with a strike in the 53rd minute.

Malaka Perera’s scored a double in the 64th minute to give Java Lane the lead for the first time but after a tenacious battle I. Olidemeji succeeded in finding the net in the second minute of injury time to earn Up Country Lions a deserving 3-3 draw in Group A.

The tournament is being played within closed doors and following strict health regulations because of the coronavirus.

The 20 teams were divided into five groups with each team guaranteed at least three matches during the preliminary rounds.

Selected matches would be streamed live through FFSL’s official YouTube channel ‘Sri Lanka Football TV’ for local fans set to enjoy a football bonanza of 30 matches before the knockout stages.

The quarter-finals are scheduled to be worked off on August 23 and 24, the semifinals will be played on August on 27 and the final on August 31.

Results

Group A

Blue Star SC 3 (Uwanaka 42’ 56’ Figarado 81’) : Moragasmulla SC 1 (Prasad 66’)

Up Country Lions SC 3 (Nazer 27’ Sampath 34’ Olidemeji 90+2) : Java Lane SC 3 (Malaka Perera 38’ 64’ Latheef 53’)

Group B

Renown SC 0 : New Star SC 1 (Y.M. Anas 72’)

Matara City Club 1 (Weerappuli  9’) : New Youngs FC 1 (Olawale 6’)

Monday’s fixtures:

3.30pm (Group C)

Defenders FC vs Super Sun SC at Sugathadasa Stadium

Red Star FC vs Saunders SC at Racecourse Stadium

6.30pm (Group D)

Sea Hawks FC vs Serendib SC at Sugathadasa Stadium

Ratnam SC vs SL Police SC at Racecourse Stadium