Java Lane produced a masterful performance of counter attacking football, leaving Navy SC shell shocked to win the match 2-0 at the Kew Points road.
Malaka Perera scored off a rebound early on in the first half and he turned to be the provider late in the second half setting up an Afam Akram goal with the scrumptious back flick.
Both sides were coming off 1-0 results but contrasting outcomes with Navy winning against Negombo Youth while Java Lane losing to New Youngs SC away at Wennappuwa.
Java Lane started positively in front of their raucous home fans attacking from the wings through Akram and Mohamed Abdullah. It didn’t take long for the experienced Sailors to gain the upper hand as they settled down to their customary passing game.
Java Lane came in with a plan and stuck to it admirably throughout the 90 minutes, catching Navy on the break using the speed of current Peterite and Sri Lanka U19 cap Akram and Abdullah who troubled the defenders right throughout, with Janaka Chaminda and Aleem marshalling the midfield.
Against the run of play they were rewarded when Akram, Abdullah and Malaka Perera combined to punish an Ajith Kumara mistake in the 15th minute. Ajith Kumara came way off his line to clear a ball, Abdullah took a quick throw-in and Akram seeing the keeper running back to goal tried a 20 yard effort which bounced off the cross bar but Perera was on hand to put away the rebound delighting the crowd.
Navy were still having control of the match passing the ball around and attacking primarily from the left through Subash Madushan and Chalana Chameera. The visitors were rewarded for their pressure with a couple of free-kicks and one such effort by Nalaka Roshan was palmed away at the last moment by Dammika Senerath.
The second half was a carbon copy of the first half as Java Lane were happy to put as much as 10 men behind the ball whenever Navy had it and ready to play on the counter attack with lightning pace.
Navy also created space and opportunities but poor finishing and resolute defending by the hosts denied them of a goal. Java Lane’s composure and the ability to stick to the plan should be admired as they continuously frustrated Navy by defending in numbers while Dammika Senerath was rock solid as the custodian making a few brilliant saves from Roshan’s free kicks.
Midway through the second half Java Lane missed a chance to make it 2-0 when Abdullah went on a marauding run to the byline but no player was there to convert his cutback. Akram’s pile driving effort minutes later went just past the near post much to the agony of the hosts.
With less than 10 minutes to play Java Lane sealed the game in typical fashion. From a goal kick captain Rizkhan Faizer flicked a back header to Malaka Perera who was played onside by Christeen Fernando but took too much time in creating space before he was hounded by two defenders; while it seemed as if the opportunity was lost Perera showed great awareness as he made a back pass for the on rushing Akram who sent the ball flying to the corner making it 2-0.
ThePapare.com Man of the Match: Afam Akram
“We came to this match rectifying our mistakes from last match against New Youngs. I focus mainly on defense and it showed today as we defended as a team, against a much stronger opposition in Navy,” Java Lane coach Mohamed Zaheer told ThePapare.com.
