The final quarter of an hour of the Kotmale Chox U19 Schools Football Final between Zahira College and St.Henry’s College, Ilavalai was played in darkness at the Race Course International Stadium.
The final between two giants of Sri Lanka Schools Football was played in front of President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka, Anura De Silva and other dignitaries of the Football Federation and the Sponsors, Kotmale Chox.
On each match day, two matches were scheduled to be played, one at 2.30pm and the other at 4.30pm. As it takes close to two hours for the match to finish, the second match would finish around 6.30pm and in Sri Lanka the light rapidly fades away soon after 6.00pm.
A few lights from the four towers did come on but it only shed light upon the corners of the pitch while the penalty boxes on both end and the middle of the pitch was in the dark.
The players struggled to play under the rapidly fading light and the goalkeepers had trouble sighting the ball which almost produced a couple of goals.
The final was won by St.Henry’s College defeated last year’s winners Zahira College 3-1. After dominating the first half St.Henry’s took the lead in the 42nd minute but it did not last long as Zahira equalized on the stroke of half time.
St.Henry’s superior fitness levels proved to be the deciding factor as they scored two more while Zahira missed a couple of chances in the dying stages.
This being one of the major schools football tournaments it is incomprehensible as to how the light was not factored in and this was not the first time it happened in the tournament.
In the quarter final between Zahira College and Maris Stella College the situation was far worse as the lights, a few lights from the towers, came on only in the final five minutes while the players played in pitch darkness for around 10 minutes and the match went beyond 6.30pm.
The match was an even closer encounter as Maris Stella College was on the ascendency after scoring in the 71st minute to cut Zahira’s two goal lead and make it 2-1.
Speaking to ThePapare.com the players and officials of the schools that faced this predicament, voiced their concern and were utterly displeased with the organizing committee.
