After an end to end tie Kirulapone United came out on top against Henamulla United to clinch the 2016 Silver Cup by a 3-1 score line, at the CR and FC grounds.
The game got off to an electrifying start with Henamulla getting off the blocks at a rampant pace.
Kirulapone couldn’t contain the early onslaught and had to be content with pushing bodies behind the ball to contain their opposition.
It wasn’t long until Henmulla struck the first blow of the finals in the 10th minute when Neel Kristopal crept past the defensive line of Kirulapone United, lifting the roof off the CR and FC stand where the Henmulla faithful were present in numbers.
Kirulapone took an offensive approach to their early set back as they put the foot on the gas by pushing forward with venom.
Kirulapone wasted little time pulling things back to bring the game back to where things started from as Ravin Madushanka slammed the ball home on the stroke of the 18th minute.
With the momentum shifting within a matter of minutes, Kirulapone rallied to grab the lead as they showcased a high tempo paired up with menacing industry.
They were well rewarded in the 30th minute for their persistent pressure as when Aadil Roomy found himself on the end of the ball to slide the ball past a helpless Henamulla goalkeeper.
Such was the time tone for the rest of the half leading up to the break as Kirulapone seemed a class apart in the midfield.
However Henmulla kept it at 2-1 as they managed to scrape through to half time hanging on by the skin of their teeth.
Half time – Kirulapone United 2 – 1 Henamulla United
Both teams approached the second half positively as they knew they both had their tasks cut out.
However, fatigue plagued the majority of the second half as inconstancy seemed to rapture the flow of the game. Hence chances were few and far between for both teams and Henamulla were slowly running out of time to salvage the final.
Kirulapone on the other hand and kept their energy on reserve as they hit their opponents on the counter.
Ravin Madusanka and Zareek Ahamed wasted numerous opportunities to possibly put the game beyond reach.
However once the game entered the dying minutes, the result seemed to be inevitable when Mohomed Safran squandered the best chance of the half for Henamulla to draw level.
There was a final nail in Henamulla’s coffin when a 94th minute goal sealed the Silver Cup in Kirulapone’s favor.
Kavindu Wickramarachchi scored a screamer from 20 yards out as he beat the wall and left the keeper for dead as his effort clattered into the bottom left corner. The sound of the final whistle seconds after sent the Kirulapone fans into ecstasy as the celebrations began in the rain.
Full time – Kirulapone United 3 – 1 Henamulla United
ThePapare.com Player of the Match – Ravin Madusanka (Kirulapone United)
Goal scorers
Henamulla United – Neel Kristopal (10th)
Kirulapone United – Ravin Madusanka (18th), Aadil Roomy (30th), Kavindu Wickramarachchi (94th)
Bookings
Yellow cards
Thimira Silva (Kirulapone United)
Mohomed Shafran (Henmulla United)