Solid SC completed their climb to the summit of Sri Lanka Football in a memorable week where they defeated Saunders 1-0 and secure the Championship for the very first time.
After Solid’s closest title rival Colombo FC, drew with Negombo Youth and lost to Air Force, they only needed a point from their final match and Gnanaruban made sure they celebrate in style with his winning goal.
Saunders scrapes out a win against Up-Country Lions
Sri Lanka’s oldest and most prestigious club Saunders SC are in an unfamiliar position at the bottom of the table as to the top fighting for the championship. They desperately needed a win from their final couple of matches and they got one against the much fancied Up-Country Lions in a hard fought battle at Kelaniya Football Complex.
Mohomed Ismath scored the only goal of the match in the 9th minute and the resilient Price Park boys held onto the slender lead and secure the three points which lifted them out of the relegation zone.
Colombo FC stunned by Negombo Youth & Air Force
In the most important week of their season with championship hopes on the balance, Colombo FC faltered and faltered badly. They had two matches in the week against Negombo Youth a top four team and Air Force, last year’s champions.
Colombo FC had an early lead with Bodrie Dimitri scoring at 10th minute but Negombo Youth held them 1-1 at the half time when they equalized at 32nd minute through D. Pieris. After resumption both played attacking football and Colombo FC went ahead again through Dimitri in the 66th minute who enjoyed a good game to make it 2-1 for Colombo FC. However the hosts were unable to hang on as Kasun Silva made it 2-2 in the 81st minute.
In the match against Air Force, another late strike against Colombo FC gave Air Force the win.
In the 17th minute Udesh Shanaka volleyed across the face of the goal past the diving Imran to find Kavindu at the far post, who had easiest job of tapping in from 6 yards to give a deserved lead. Colombo FC took field in the second half with added motivation and equalized in the 53rd minute when Ahamed Shazny poked home between a host of Air Force defenders.
It was the Airmen who came out of a melee mid-way through the second half more determined and scored what proved to be the winner in the 77th minute. Kavindu Ishan was picked out by a diagonal ball where he gave himself some space and fired a low drive which was palmed away only until Kelum Perera who drilled it pass the helpless Imran.
Mixed week for Navy against Solid & Renown
Solid with Colombo FC dropping down faced their acid test against Navy at Prison Grounds in Anuradhapura.
Navy were favourites for the Championship at the end of round one with only one defeat in 10 matches but went through a horrible few matches and were dropped off the top four in the table.
Navy got the lead at Solid with a goal in the 32nd minute through Mohomed Insaf and went into half time with that slender lead. After the break Solid stuck twice in 5 minutes to demoralize the Navy and went on to win the game with 2-1. It all started with a magical goal by Mannar born Edison Figurado, who scored straight from a corner kick. Figurado used the wind to his advantage and curled it in from an impossible angle and sank the ball at the far post stunning the sailors. Solid used the momentum and two minutes later in the 56th minute Gnanaruban scored the winning goal.
Navy bounced back a few days later to beat Renown 2-0 with a brace by P.Lakshitha in the 10th and 39th minutes.
Army comfortable win over Matara City
Army continuing their attacking style of play was succeeded at Kelaniya when they beat Matara City 3-0. Matara boys held them till last minute of the first half and let it slip in the 43rd minute to go down 1-0 at half time. Sajith Kumara scored the goal for Army. Soon after the break Army scored 2 more goals through G.Dinesh and M.G Rajapaksha at 59 and 90th minute of the game to make it 3-0.
Kalutara Park holds Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace from Gampola playing at Nawalapitiya were held 1-1 by Kalutara Park.
The score was 0-0 at lemons and ISM Nawachi scored for Crystal Palace to take the lead at 69th Minute and Kalutara Park equalized at 72nd minute through O.Mavnlay to make it 1-1 .
