Football: Police outplay Ratnam in Vantage FFSL President’s Cup 2020

Reigning FA Cup champions Police SC scored a thrilling 4-2 win over Ratnam under lights at Racecourse Stadium yesterday to open their campaign on the second day of the Vantage FFSL President’s Cup 2020 Monday.

Sea Hawks FC and Serendib SC played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at Sugathadasa Stadium in the second Group D match.

Police counter attacked brilliantly to take a 3-1 lead at half time after an early strike by K.D. Lobognon to put Ratnam ahead in the ninth minute.

A.H.T. Shihan Prabudha struck the equalizer in the 14th minute while W. Chathura Gunaratne (24th) and M.S.M. Sufaik (38th) also found the net in the first half.

Police enjoyed a 4-1 cushion when M.R.J. Mohamed fired home in the 69th minute. Ratnam struck back through Rajkumar Shanthan two minutes later but Police hung on to win the high-scoring game.

Red Star FC scored a spectacular 2-1 win over Saunders while Defenders FC thumped Super Sun SC 4-1 in Group C matches earlier in the day.

Defenders ran riot at the Sugathadasa Stadium romping to 3-0 lead at half time through goals by A Rahman in the 21st minute, H.D.M. de Silva (29th) and M.O. Frank (47th) while R.S.Rajawasam found the net in the 75th minute.

Super Sun scored a consolation goal in the second minute of injury through N.C. Michael.

Red Star FC scored an upset win over Saunders at Racecourse Stadium with Oguduu Ismaila Abumbre drawing first blood in the 41st minute to give them a 1-0 lead at ‘lemons’.

Saunders drew level early in the second half when SundarajNireshfound the net in the 50th minute.

However, Red Star were not to be denied with M.A.F.Basith Ameer hitting the winner in the 70th minute.

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 C

Defenders FC 4 (Rahman 21’ de Silva 29’ Frank 47’ Rajawasam 75) Super Sun SC 1 (Michael 90+2)

Red Star FC 1 (Abumbre 41’ Ameer 70’) Saunders SC 1 (Niresh 50’)

Group D

Sea Hawks FC 3 (Ashmeer 25' 53' Meera 46') Serendib SC 3 (Asante 27' 62' Shefan 90+4)

Ratnam SC 2 (Lobognon 9' Shanthan 71') SL Police SC 4 (Prabudha 14' Gunaratne 24' Sufaik 38' Mohamed 69')