Substitute Shamil Ahamed’s 88th minute winner proved the difference for Renown as both teams had no problems at all finding the back of the net in a thoroughly entertaining game at the Racecourse stadium.
Photo Album – Navy SC v Renown SC – Dialog Champions League 2015 (Super 8)
Renown went into the game knowing that they had to win to keep any championship hopes alive and got off to a poor start when Chalana Chameera was left unmarked inside the box and drilled home past Sathees Kumar to give Navy the lead in the 7th minute.
Their lead didn’t last very long, as Fazal skipped past two defenders and squared the ball from the byline for Rifnaz to poke home the equalizer in the 18th minute.
Nirmal Wijetunga then gave Navy the lead they took into halftime when he played a lovely one-two with Prasad Lakshitha at the edge of the box before coolly slotting past Sathees in the 32nd minute of play.
Things got worse for Renown early in the second half as Mahesh Priyadarshana pushed Navy further in front courtesy of a looping header from a corner kick.
Renown responded swiftly though as Rifnaz completed his hat-trick with 2 goals in 3 minutes (50, 53) to level things at 3-3. First he beat the offside trap to go through and slot home, and then poked home from close range after some great work from Francis to charge into the box and square it to him.
Renown completed the remarkable comeback in the 64th minute as Emmanuel Ojinkeya headed home a cross from Humaid, to give them their first lead of the game.
There was to be another twist in the tale though as Chalana Chameera headed in an equalizer in the 77th minute from a well directed free kick from Chameera Krishantha. Navy’s high defence line looked very susceptible as time and time again Renown got in behind them.
The winner eventually came from an unlikely source, Shamil Ahamed, who was brought on in the 80th minute when he managed to spin around and get a shot off under pressure from Navy’s substitute goalkeeper Gnanarathna Fernando, to send the crowd into frenzy.
Renown were able to hold on for the win, in what was by far the best game of the Dialog Champions League, but the chances they missed cost them, as they eventually lost the championship by a solitary goal to Colombo FC.
ThePapare.com Man of the Match: Mohamed Rifnaz
Speaking to the coaches after the game they had this to say;
Coach Mohamed Amanulla of Renown:
“Even when we a 3-1 down, I was calm and knew we could pull it off. When things get executed to the gameplan it’s a real joy for me. I brought Shamil Ahamed on because he’s a player who makes runs forward from midfield and we knew he’d be effective against the high offside trap.”
Coach Dammika Athukorale of Navy:
“When the score is 5-4, you can only say both teams played well, it was a real 50-50 affair. They had better luck on the day, and we made a few mistake in midfield and defence that cost us. We initially were marking man to man, but as we tried to play the offside trap they started to get in behind us, Charles’ was also critical. However I am pleased with the way we finished the season and hope to carry the momentum forward.”
