All Island Schools Football Championship - Prison Grounds Anuradhapura - 11/09/2016 Team Hameedia celebrating victory
Hameed Al Husseinie College defeated arch rivals Zahira College 4-3 on penalties, after the match ended 1-1 at full time, to become 2016 All Island School Games U19 Football Champions at the Prison Grounds in Anuradhapura.
Maliyadeva Balika Vidyalaya got the better of Kavisigamuwa Central College to win the Girls’ Championship of the All Island National School Games Football Championship 2016 which concluded in Anuradhapura yesterday (11).
U19 Boys’ Championship
After 3 days of intense football in the cramped and substandard grounds of the Rajarata University in Mihintale, two footballing giants and arch rivals Hameed Al Husseinie College and Zahira College battled it out for the championship in the final held at the Prison Grounds, Anuradhapura.
The defending champions Zahira College came in as the Champions of Western Province this year and eased past Muthur Central College, St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna and St. Aloysius’ College, Galle to reach the finals.
Hameed Al Husseinie College, 2nd Runner-up of Western Province, on the other hand faced a tough competition from the first match onwards but managed to get past Zahira College Gampola, St.Lucia’s College Mannar and Kinniya Central College to make it to the finals.
Much to everyone’s surprise and delight, the final match was played for a full 90 minutes after 3 days of 60 minute football. The organizers claim it is due to the lack of time that 60 minute games were played but most others agree that the tournament could have been held for a longer time in multiple venues throughout the country and given the future of Sri Lankan football a chance to play the full game.
Hameed Al Husseinie managed to score first in the 10th minute when vice-captain Fazil Kareem curled home a delightful free-kick.
Zahira managed to equalize 10 minutes later when Mohamed Hijaz headed in from a corner kick.
Photo Album – All Island Schools Football Championship – 2016
The game ended with a 1-1 score at full time and was taken into a penalty shootout where Hameed Al Husseinie managed to put 4 of the 5 shots past the goalkeeper while Zahira managed only 3 out of 5 to give away the championship, with Hameed Al Husseinie goalkeeper Mahendran Dinesh saving two spot kicks.
Kinniya Central College managed to grab the 3rd place defeating St. Aloysius’ College, Galle in the match held at Rajarata University Grounds in Mihintale.
Round 1
Trinity College, Kandy 1 – 2 Kinniya Central College
St.Aloysius College, Galle 1 – 0 St.Sebastian’s College, Katuneriya
Hameed Al Husseinie 1 – 0 Zahira College, Gampola
St.Patrick’s College, Jaffna 1 – 0 Al Misbah College, Madampe
St.Henry’s College, Ilavalai 3 – 0 Bandiwewa MV, Jayanthipura
Al Aqsha College, Kinniya 3 – 1 Batugedara MV, Ratnapura
St.Joseph Vaz, Wennappuwa 2 – 0 Richmond College, Galle
Muthur Central College 6 – 0 Sirisumana MV, Ratnapura
Round 2
St.Lucia’s College, Mannar 5 – 0 Badulla Central College
Al Aqsha College, Kinniya 3 – 0 Dharmadutha College, Badulla
De Mazenod College 1(3) – 1(2) St.Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa
Zahira College, Colombo 4 – 0 Muthur Central College
Kinniya Central College 1(3) – 1(1) Ruwanveli MV, Horowpathana
St.Henry’s College, Ilavalai 0(2) – 0(4) St.Aloysius College, Galle
St.Patrick’s College, Jaffna 2 – 0 Wickramabahu College, Gampola
Quarter Finals
Hameed Al Husseinie College 0(4) – 0(2) St.Lucia’s College, Mannar
De Mazenod College, Kandana 0 – 3 Kinniya Central College
Zahira College, Colombo 0(4) – 0(2) St.Patrick’s College, Jaffna
St.Aloysius’ College, Galle 2(4) – 2(2) Al-Aqsha College, Kinniya
Semi Finals
Zahira College, Colombo 1 – 0 St.Aloysius’ College, Galle
Hameed Al Husseinie College 3 – 0 Kinniya Central College
Final
Hameed Al Husseinie College 1(4) – 1(3) Zahira College, Colombo
U19 Girls’ Championship
The only girls’ segment of the All Island Football Championship saw a North Western Province dominion as the top 3 places went to Maliyadeva Girls, Kavisigamuwa Central and Polgahawela National School respectively.
This event was also held for 3 days at the Swarnapali Balika Vidyalaya, Anuradhapura and the Public Sports Complex, Anuradhapura.
The finals was played out at the Public Sports Complex, Anuradhapura where another clash of rivalry ensued as Maliyadeva Girls’ College, Kurunegala took on Kavisigamuwa Central College.
At full time the Devians managed to walk away with the championship with a score of 3 – 1.
The 3rd place went over to Polgahawela National School who defeated Viharamahadevi Balika Vidyalaya, Kiribathgoda in a match which ended 2 – 0. This was also held at the Public Sports Complex, Anuradhapura.
