Dilip Pieris scored a hat trick as Renown SC thumped Air Force SC 4-0 in a Round of 16 fixture of the Vantage FA Cup 2018 worked off at the Sugathadasa Stadium.
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The score line was nothing to go by as Air Force completely dominated play in both halves. The failure of the Airmen to convert possession to goal was what Renown had in their pocket and got 4 goals against the run of play.
Renown was rewarded as early as the 2nd minute when Mohamed Ashath was brought down in the box. Stepped up Dilip Pieris who slotted to the top right corner giving goalkeeper Ruwan Arunasiri no chance.
From then on it was Air Force who dominated play in the midfield only to be missing the telling pass in the final third of the field. Kavindu Ishan who had an excellent outing, got his first shot in anger in the 25th minute and was well saved by Rasik Rishad in the Renown goal.
Nipuna Bandara, Kavindu Ishan and D.K Duminda were leading the line for the Airmen. There link up and interchange was excellent and kept pushing Renown on the back foot.
No goal threating moves were made by Air Force as Renown dug deep in defense and midfield. Hakeem Kamil, Mohamed Rizni and Mohamed Riyal kept the Air Force trio in check. Against the run of play Mohamed Ashath got an opportunity one on one against Arunasiri only to have a slight touch by the keeper to send it inches away from goal.
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Air Force kept on pressing and were rewarded with a couple of shots at goal which were cleared off by Renown in a scrappy goal mouth action.
Just before the break, Dilip Pieris was sent clear on goal and his effort was partially stopped by Arunasiri only for the defense to fail to clear. Pieris getting a second bite of the cherry this time around cleanly struck to put the ball into the net.
Half Time – Air Force SC 0 – 2 Renown SC
Just as the first half Air Force got a golden opportunity to hit back immediately after the break but Kavindu Ishan’s cut back was woefully missed by D.K Duminda.
Crosses came in numbers from the right flank for Air Force only to be blocked or cleared off by the Renown defense. Air Force had the ball in the net in the 54th minute by Nipuna Bandara from a low cross from Kavindu Ishan only to be ruled offside which looked debatable.
It proved the evening did not belong to Air Force as the clock ticked away so did the match from them as Renown hit back once again on the counter. Airmen trying to push bodies forward were caught off guard by Dilan Madushanka who put the ball on a plate for Dilip Pieris to complete his hat-trick.
In the 83rd minute, Dilan Madushanka got rewarded for his efforts when he was clear on goal and slotted in with ease past a hapless Ruwan Arunasiri. Air Force kept on pushing till the last minute of the game for a consolation which never came thus ending a miserable evening for the Airmen and their fans.
Full Time – Air Force SC 0 – 4 Renown SC
- ThePapare.com Player of the Match – Dilip Pieris (Renown SC)
Goal Scorers
Renown SC – Dilip Pieris 2’(P), 44’ & 79’, Dilan Madushanka 83’Bookings
Yellow Cards
Air Force SC – Udesh Shanaka Wijesena 40’
Renown SC – Mohamed Rizni 57’, Dimuthu Priyadarshana 64’
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