Mohamed Issadeen got his got his goal scoring touch back as his second half hat-trick defeated Police SC at Police Park.
After a bunch of missed opportunities by him and his teammates to score goals Issadeen broke the deadlock early in the second half and scored a further two breaking a resolute Police defense which held on in the first half creating a few chances themselves.
Coming into the match both sides were in the top four of group A, with Army in 3rd having won their two matches and Police in 4th position with two wins from three matches. Army kept two Sri Lanka squad members, Sajith Kumara and Punsara Thiruna on the bench while Police coach Mohamed Noordeen was not present.
The two sides took time adjusting to the scorching hot weather and it was the visitors who took the match by the scruff of the neck as they dominated possession and territory. Police were happy to sit back and defend in numbers but if not for poor finishing their tactics would have been questioned.
Quite a few opportunities came Issadeen’s way but he seemed to lack his lethal finishing touch while a goal by him was disallowed for offside. The Police defense and goalkeeper had miscommunications which almost led to goals but again poor finishing by Army players helped Police cause.
Police also had a golden chance to take the lead but A.A.Ranish lobbed the ball over the keeper and past the far post. Police went on the counter attack on the left where the ball over the defense found Ranish who lobbed it over the onrushing Nilanka Kumara but unfortunately for him it went past the far post. Army introduced Sajith Kumara before half time to rectify the poor finishing but players went into half time goalless.
Army started off the second half in perfect fashion as a defensive miscommunication led to Issadeen’s first goal. Sajith Kumara raced down the left flank and coming into the box he crossed the ball low across the face of the goal where the Police defense missed the clearance and Issadeen had the easiest of tap-ins.
After the goal Army brought in Punsara Thiruna which added more attacking strength and further put pressure on Police. Police were unable to break the shackles they got themselves into giving too much time and space on the ball for Army’s midfielder Sanka Danushka who controlled the game to his tune.
Danushka lobbed the ball over the defense for Issadeen who rounded off the goalkeeper, Dumith Shashika to score, under off side appeals from the Police players. Danushka was again the architect as another ball sent Issadeen through who nutmegged the goalkeeper to score his third near the end where there was again off-side appeals by the home side.
ThePapare.com Man of the Match: Sanka Danushka
“My mind in the first half was not in the game but I came back in the second half. The goal early in the second half really boosted my confidence and was able to kick on from there. We had a few injured players on the bench, so this was an important win,” hat-trick hero Issadeen told ThePapare.com after the match.
