Colombo FC avenged last year’s Champions League defeat at the hands of Renown SC with a commanding 3-0 win in the City Football League President’s Trophy opener at Kew Points Road.
Captain for the day, BodrieDimitri scored mi-way through the first half but Renown squandered a few golden chances throughout the match. After Renown were reduced to 10 men, Colombo FC pushed on with ZarwanJohar scoring one and assisting another in injury time.
The tournament; City Football League President’s Trophy, was organized for the elite four clubs from the City Football League, Saunders SC, Renown SC, Colombo FC and Java Lane SC who missed the City FL league tournament due to Champions League commitments.
The first match of the tournament pitted reigning Champions League and FA Cup winners, Colombo FC and Champions League runner-up Renown SC.
It was Renown who got the better of the early exchanges with Fazal Mohamed almost fooling goalkeeper Mohamed Imran with a long range effort, which after an initial misjudgment was able to tip it over the crossbar by Imran.
Photo Album – Colombo FC vs Renown SC – City FL President’s Trophy
10 minutes in once again Fazal’s free-kick from outside the box had Imran in trouble but managed to flap it over.
Against the run of play Colombo FC took the lead in the 26th minute with Dimitri’s composed finish.
Before the break Renown had a golden opportunity to equalize but Prasad Yogaraja’s header from 3 yards out could only rattle the far post. Fazal slipped his way into the box and crossed it over Imran from the byline but Yogaraja with the goal at his mercy flicked it to the far post. The rebound found Mohamed Rifnaz whose effort was blocked by Ramees and another rebound effort finally cleared away.
Mohamed Rizni got his marching orders mid-way through the 2nd half, when he fouled DanushkaMadushanka trying to go on the counter-attack.
Soon after Fazal again had the chance to equalize with Imran unable to control a back pass but his effort from an acute angle went across the goal.
There on in it was all Colombo FC but they too missed chances.
Dimitri set up a delightful ball from the left across the goal only to see Tuan Rizni rushing on at the far post firing it wide. Then Dimitri came into the box from a Zarwan diagonal ball, and even though his second touch was too much somehow managed to get the shot away which was cleared off the line.
A minute into injury time Dimitri once again broke into the box and crossed the across the face of the goal where Madushanka sliced it to the crossbar. The rebound however found Zarwan, whose looping header was spilled and into the goal by the diving UzmanHameed.
Minute later Zarwan coming to the byline on the right sent a powerful ball across past Uzman where substitute RaumeMohideen calmly tapped-in from inches out to make it 3-0.
ThePapare.com Man of the Match: Zarwan Johar
