Former National player EB Channa scored a hat trick to guide Ratnam past Navy SC in a 3-1 win. Channa showed he still has the eye and the hunger for the goal in a superlative performance.
The veteran gave Ratnam the lead only to be cancelled out in the 35th minute by Navy’s Laksitha. The second half started with attacking intentions but neither team could capitalize on their opportunities early on. With 20 minutes left to play Channa produced a moment of magic to wrong foot the defender and curl the ball into the top left corner. Six minutes later he added his third to complete a memorable hat -trick.
A hat trick from Mohamed Rifnaz and a brace from A.C. Frank saw Colombo FC crush Matara City Club 6-1 at the Matara Football Complex. The first half ended with D.Dimithri and Frank scoring in the 25th and 30th minutes giving Colombo FC a 2-0 lead. Matara City’s Dilshan Weerappuli cut the lead in half just three minutes into the second half but Rifnaz restored the 2 goal lead a minute later. Colombo FC then went on to dominate the match and Rifnaz completed his hat trick with goals in the 58th and 76th minutes, while Frank got his second in the 82nd minute.
Air Force shocked the rock solid Blue Star SC 2-0 in their Group A match. The table top Blue Star had a lackluster start to the match and Air Force took advantage of the opportunity in the 27th minute as G.K. Perera scored the opener. In the second half both sides had chances missed. As the time ran out Blue Star were desperately searching for an equalizer which left their defense vulnerable and Air Force’s D.S. Fernando sealed the match with a strike deep into injury time.
Renown and Don Bosco played out an entertaining 2 all draw at the Football Complex in Beddegana. All four goals were scored in the first half. Don Bosco’s D.R. Charaka scored the opener in the 13th minute and T.Silva doubled the lead in the 34th minute. Renown fought back in the latter of the opening half with goals from Mohamed Nafeer and Mohamed Fazal in the 39th and 45th minutes.
New Youngs SC defeated the Up Country Lions 2-0 at the Jayathilaka Stadium in Nawalapitiya. The New Youngs defense dominated the Lions attacking force led by African Patrick Wilson. New Youngs took the lead in the 27th minute through P. Wickramasinghe. In the second half New Youngs had a few chances but failed to make use of them and it was only in the 85th minute that a Asitha Priyankara goal helped calm the nerves and secure the valuable three points.
In their second match of the week New Youngs SC carrying on their winning mentality thrashed Police SC 3-0 at the Police Park. T. Chandrasekara scored the only first half goal in the 39th minute. Goals from A.K. Kolawolt and A. Perera in the 80th and 89th minutes capped off a successful week for the New Youngs SC.
The Up Country Lions shrugged off their defeat to the New Youngs earlier in the week to secure a comfortable 3-1 win over Pelicans SC. It was the Pelicans who took the lead through Nandasiri Ekanayaka in the 32nd minute at their Maligapitya home ground in Kurunegala. Patrick Wilson who was anonymous in their defeat to New Youngs played a vital part in all 3 Lions goals as he scored a brace in the second half. K. Martin scored the third in the 47th minute.
