Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), Royal College Union Aquatic Club (RCUAC) and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) clubs registered victories in week 02 for the SLWP League Championship which was played on the 12th July at Welisara Navy and Panagoda Army Swimming Pools.
SLN vs OTSC
The game between SLN and OTSC was regarded as the best match of this tournament and this winner of this match would likely be the league champions and as expected this game lived up to its reputation and gave the viewers a spectacular game.
SLN opened their account from an early goal from Shehan Dassanayake and extended their lead through Shan Lakshitha in the 1st quarter to take a lead of 2-0 at the end of the 1st quarter.
SLN then went on a goal scoring fiesta by scoring 4 goals in the 2nd quarter with Musharraf Uwais scoring 2 goals and Yahan Samarajeewa and Shan Lakshitha scoring one goals each and scores read as 6-0 in favor of SLN. Then there was a tussle in the pool which saw players throwing punches at each other and OTSC’s goal keeper Koasala Wijewardena, OTSC’s Senith Gunawardena and SLN’s Musharraf Uwais were thrown out of the game and SLN’s Bhanuka Wijesundara was shown a red card which meant SLN had to play the next 4 minutes with a player less. OTSC took full advantage of this moment and scored 2 goals from Deelaka Weerarathna and Hugarian Adam Zoltan. Scores were 6-2 at half time.
Navy began the 3rd quarter one man short and OTSC use this opportunity to start the scoring in the quarter from a goal by Adam Zoltan but Navy came back and scored one more through Savith Warnapura to extend the Navy lead. OTSC then made full use of the extra man situation and scored 3 goals, 2 goals from Adam Zoltan and one from Captain Danushka Seram but Navy managed to sneak one through Wasim M. Bawa to stay in the lead. Scores were 08- 06 at the end of the 3rd quarter.
Navy started scoring in the 4th quarter from Wasim M. Bawa goal but OTSC once again stuck 2 quick goals, this time from Deelaka Weerarathna and Adam Zoltan and cut down the Navy lead by just one goal. But Navy in the final seconds of the game scored another goal from Wasim M. Bawa making it a hat trick of goals for him and sealing the game for SLN.
With this victory SLN are now sitting comfortably on top position in the league table and OTSC who came with so many hopes would be disappointed with their performances and drop down to the 4th position in the points table. But on a lighter note, OTSC can now relax because they have played both RCUAC and SLN who are considered as their top 2 threats in this tournament and will be hoping that RCUAC does create an upset with Navy so that OTSC might have an outside chance to reclaim the top position later in the tournament.
SLN on the other hand would now take game by game to ensure that they just win every match in order to claim the league championship for year 2014.
RCUAC vs SSC
RCUAC met SSC in the 2nd game of week 2. RCUAC and SSC both came off from their previous week lose and both looked to register their 1st victory of the championship.
RCUAC who were considered favorites of this game certainly lived up to their reputation beating SSC comfortably with a score line of 19-07. RCUAC scored 12 goals in the first half and gave away just 2 goals to SSC. But SSC came back stronger in the 2nd half and scored 5 goals and gave away just 7.
For Royal Thamindu Ranasinghe and Chandula Fernando scored 4 goals each while Gevin Shanuka and Akila Weerasinghe scored 3 goals each, Yahiya Jaffer scored 2 goals while Senith Samaranayake, Yashodha Wasalage and Rifat Uwais scored a goal each.
For SSC Dharith De Silva scored a hat trick while Tharindu Wickramsinghe scored 2 goals and Dinuk Wijewardena and M. Abeysekara scored a goal each.
RCUAC climb to the 3rd place in the points table while SSC are 6th in the table losing both their games.
SLA vs ONASC
The 1st game of week 2 was held between Army and Old Nalanda. Novices Champions Army did some quick work to beat an Old Nalanda side by a score line of 11 goals to 2.
Army scored 6 goals in the 1st half and kept Old Nalanda goalless and in the 2nd half Army scored 5 and gave away just a goal each in the 3rd and 4th quarters to ONASC.
For winners Anura Bandara scored a hat trick while K. K. N. Thusara, N Denagomage and R. Madugoda scored 2 goals each and P. Rathnapala and Pradeep Kumara scored a goal each. For Old Nalanda Dilanka Shehan and Senidu Mendis scored a goal each.
With a 9 goal difference and 2 points for the win Army move in to a surprising 2 position in the league while ONASC remain at the bottom still looking for a victory.
SLWP league week 03 matches will commence from the week beginning Monday, 14th July. The SLWP League Championship is organized by Sri Lanka Water Polo and Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union.
