Gateway College, Colombo sealed a 1-0 close victory neutralizing an inspiring second-half performance from S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia to take home the Neville De Alwis – Ralph Alles Challenge Trophy for the second consecutive year in their annual encounter played today (25) at the Racecourse International Stadium, Colombo.
Gateway got off to a brilliant start just 3 minutes into the game when Samanu Kapugodaarachchi’s beautifully curled in corner into the box found Binitha Chandrasena, who easily headed it home from close range.
Binitha could have easily scored his second a few minutes later as delightful cross from Nanshika Kapugodaarachchi found Binitha all open in front of the goal whose feeble attempt went wide of the posts.
Gateway had ample opportunities to extend their lead, but was let down due to their poor finishing in the final third.
Thomians found their rhythm towards the end of the first-half and almost equalized with Aadish Fernando and Senal de Alwis coming ever so close to scoring a goal.
The first-half came to a closure with Shivadarshan pulling off a sharp save off Binitha to keep Thomians in the game.
First-half: Gateway College 1 – 0 S. Thomas’ College
Thomians came all guns blazing which saw Anuk being rewarded with a one-on-one opportunity with the Gateway goalkeeper …….. who came out of his line to clear the danger and eventually got his fingertips to send Anuk’s first time shot wide of the posts.
…….. kept Thomians at bay with another sharp save off Senal de Alwis from close range.
Substitute Maheeth Perera perhaps had the best opportunity of the match for Thomians when a cross from Anuk which initially beat the goalkeeper found Maheeth’s feet with an open goal to shoot at who failed to get a hold of the ball to fabricate a shot on goal.
Maheeth’s cross found an unmarked Akaran inside the opposition box whose half volley was agonizingly denied by the posts as Gateway managed to hold the fort clinching back-to-back victories and once again procuring the Neville De Alwis – Ralph Alles Challenge Trophy
Full time: Gateway College 1 – 0 S. Thomas’ College
Goal scorers
Gateway College – Binitha Chandrasena 3’
 at the Racecourse International Stadium, Colombo. ){kind=link}