Seychelles cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over the visiting Sri Lankan team in their second and final friendly match at the Unity Stadium.
Sri Lankan coach Nikola Kavazovic rested eight from the starting lineup who started against Seychelles in the first encounter, to give experience to the rest of the squad. Lahiru Tharaka captained the side with Mohamed Imran the goal keeper as his assistant. Sri Lanka started 5-4-1 formation in defence and 3-4-3 in attack.
Sri Lanka started off in an attacking manner creating opportunities with a shout for a penalty turned down by the referee. Both sides traded freekicks but were unable to pierce the defense. Thiruna Senanayake had the best chance in the opening quarter of an hour when he sent one on one with the goalkeeper, in the 12th minute of the game, but he sent the ball over the bar.
Seychelles players played a fast paced game and used their height and build to great use and started to dominate the match. A well calculated corner kick taken by Henriette Achille to the near post in the 27th minute of the game was slotted in by their tall and speedy striker Hive Geruais, who scored the only goal in the first match for the hosts, to make it 1 – o for Seychelles.
Zarwan Johar had a bullet drive at a high ball crossed from the left flank by Charitha Ratnayake, missed the goal by inches in the 33rd minute of the game with Geruais also missing a sitter. Sri Lanka brought in Kavindu Ishan, Chathuranga Sanjeeva, Nalaka Roshan and Madhusahan de Silva while Thiruna Senanayaka and Tharindu Lakmal were subbed off after a poor first half.
The accuracy and power of the long passes were too much for the Sri Lankans to handle and one such pass was handled outside the penalty area by goal keeper Mohamed Imran, who missed his steps after collecting the ball, in the 64th minute of the game. The indirect free kick just top of the box, was laid down by Hive Geruais to Henriette Achille, who made no mistake in putting the ball into the left corner of the goal to make it 2 = 0 for Seychelles.
Seychelles goalkeeper Cecile Kitson made two brilliant saves within minutes to deny the visitors a goal. In the 77th minute the goal keeper who collected the powerful shot at the goal by Madhusan de Silva, gave a long kick to the striker Whye Hive, who well controlled the long ball received and made no mistake with a powerful drive, to beat the goal keeper Mohamed Imran, whose feeble punch went into the goal.
Madhusan de silva had bullet kick at the goal which struck the bar in the 85th minute of the game. Sri Lanka had four corners in additional 4 minutes allowed for injury time but poor finishing let them down.
Sri Lanka team:
Mohamed Imran (G.K.), Lahiru Tharaka, Eranda Prasad, Asikumar Rahuman, M.Hakeem, Charitha Ratnayake,
Heshan Chandratne, Tharindu Lakmal, Mohamed Rifnas, Thiruna Senanayake, Zarwan Johar.
