Mohamed Rifnaz goal with minutes left helped Renown secure three points with a 1-0 win against Up Country Lions at the Jayathilake Stadium in Nawalapitiya
This was a crucial matchup for either team on contrasting situations with just two weeks to go in the 11 week group stage of the Dialog Champions League. Renown after a shaky start are flirting with an important top four finish to go into the super eight round and needed the three points while the Lions having not won a single match were desperate with relegation threatening.
The match was completely a game of the two goalkeepers. Mohamed Luthfi for the Lions and Sathish Kumar for Renown produced International level performances in goal.
With a sporty climate from the beginning of the game both teams played classic football, especially Renown forwards tried to score but Lions defenders and goalkeeper Mohamed Luthfi did not give any chances.
However like in the previous game, Lions gave a penalty to visitors after a hand ball by D.Chandrarathne. Mohamed Fazal scored but he had to retake it after players came into the penalty box before it was taken and had to retake it. The retaken penalty was however brilliantly saved by Luthfi keeping the game scoreless.
Soon after Lions center forward Abekh Aaron tried shift the game into the Lions hand but Renown keeper Sathish Kumar had other ideas with very good goalkeeping.
Just after the break Up Country winger crossed the ball to the near post from the right corner but it was again saved by visitor’s keeper Sathish Kumar with a one hand dive.
Both sides failed to create any chances there on in and it looked like the match would end goalless until Rifnaz made the decisive break. Mohamed Rifnaz scored the only goal of the match with a well-placed strike from inside the penalty box in the 82nd minute.
After that Lions had chances to level the game, especially skipper Nalinda Konara and forward Ukwaththa but they were unlucky not to score.
ThePapare.com Man of the Match: Mohamed Rifnaz
“Very happy with the result. Good climate and ground conditions to play football here in Nawalapitiya but all the balls bounced too much and my players took some time to enter the game. Important win but need to work harder in the future matches” Renown Coach Mohamed Amanulla added to ThePapare.com after the match.
