St.Sebastian’s College, Katuneriya out-classed and out-smarted last year’s runner-up St.Peter’s College to win the first quarter final 2-1 in the Kotmale Chox U19 Schools Football Championship.
After missing a few chances the Peterites went into half time with a goal from Sri Lanka U16 captain Shabeer Rasooniya. It was the lads from Katuneriya who won the 2nd half when they took advantage of two mistakes to score and book a place in the semi final.
St.Peter’s lost last year’s final to Zahira 2-1 after leading 1-0 towards the end of the second half.
Last Year’s Runner-Up St.Peter’s College topped Group A winning all their five matches while scoring 29 goals and letting only 2 in. That is an average of nearly six goals per match. Their closest rivals in the group were S.Thomas’ College whom they beat 2-1 after going down early.
St.Sebastian’s College – Katuneriya won against De Mazenod College 2-0 and 9-0 against Zahira College, Puttalam. However they lost 3-0 against St.Joseph Vaz College and eventual winners of the group St.Henry’s College. They finished the group with 9 points.
Replay – St. Peter’s College v St. Sebastian’s College – U19 Football Championship
St.Peter’s had a host of chances but was denied by poor finishing and brilliant goalkeeping by M.C.M.Silva. As the match progressed St.Sebastian’s lads came into the match against the star studded Peterites.
However St.Peter’s finally got the goal when Shabeer Rasooniya’s free-kick took a wicked deflection sending the goalkeeper the wrong way and into the goal in the 37th minute.
In the second half Sebastianites showed their superior fitness levels and scored the equalizer in the 58th minute through A.U.Rayan after goalkeeper Ashfaq Ayub fumbled the ball.
As the match came towards the end, the Peterites frustration grew and St.Sebastian’s took advantage from another defensive mistake to score, what proved to be the winner in the 77th minute through M.S.Madushanka.
ThePapare.com man of the Match: M.C.M.Silva
What they had to say;
“We started football a few years ago and these are home grown players. I had belief that we would win today. I practiced these guys at this time in the afternoon so that we would be physically fit,” a delighted St.Sebastian’s coach Philip Fernando added.
“We certainly missed the services of Afam (Akram) and Niresh (Suntharaj). We had a few injuries as well. They played counter attacking football and we missed our chances and their goals came from our errors,” Peterites coach Isuru Uditha Perera added.
