Matara City, New Youngs stun Navy; Renown, Colombo FC and Blue Star cruises to Super 8

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Matara City player in action against Super Sun SC.

Navy SC who had been dominant in the season were shell shocked in the last two group stage match weeks as they were beaten by New Youngs and bottom feeding Matara City surprising everyone.

The first shock came in the penultimate group stage match week as relegation threatened Matara City who had lost 6 out of 9 matches defeated Navy 1-0 at Matara Football Complex. Navy were still smarting from that loss when just days after New Youngs stream rolled them over with a thumping 5-0 win at the Welisara Navy Base.

New Youngs who performed in patches this season needed to finish off the season on a high and Ankamah George gave the perfect start with a goal in the 34th minute. A.Dzeia doubled the lead four minutes later while Mohamed Mushikan scored the 3rd on the stroke of half time as Navy looked on in disbelief.

Navy dominated possession and territory as they do so often but were unable to find a way forward against New Youngs in the second half. The visitors added another two goals towards the latter part of the match burying the sailors. Mushikan socred his second in the 76th minute and completed the hat-trick seven minutes later.

Army and Solid sends Highlanders packing

Division I champions Highlanders SC were sent packing back to division I as Solid and Army won 4-0 at the Rathnapura Seewali Grounds.

Highlanders in their ten matches were unable to win a single game and could only get a point from a draw. Afis Olayemi scored a hat-trick and Oluwafemi Shola scored the other as last year’s Dialog Champions League winners put Highlanders out of their misery.

Olayemi opened the scoring in the 18th minute and doubled the lead in the 36th minute. Shola scored the third deep into first half injury time but Olayemi had to wait until the 88th minute to complete his hat-trick.

For Army Sanka Danushka scored as early as in the 3rd minute while Sajith Kumara scored a brace with goals in the 30th and 75th minutes. The fourth was added by Mohamed Rimzan in the 81st minute.

Blue Star turns Thihariya Youth blue

Matara city v super sun
Blue Star players celebrating a goal by Shifakath Rahuman against Kalutara Park.

After a scrappy opening couple of weeks Blue Star finished off the groups stage in emphatic fashion defeating Thihariya Youth 4-0.

Mohamed Farzeen, E.B.Channa, Yankson Richard and Mohamed Mazeer scored for the visitors as Blue Star completed yet another clean sheet. The Kalutara giants have conceded just three goals in the group stage with all three coming away from home against Colombo FC (2) and Navy.

Farzeen scored in the 22nd minute and three minutes later E.B.Channa scored the second. Yankson scored his 5th goal of the season in the 31st minute as Blue Star went into half time with a commanding 3-0 lead. Mohamed Mazeer added the 4th in the 90th minute as the hosts tightened up their defense in the second half.

Solid ends disappointing title defense with a draw

Solid said good-bye to their title reign as a late Shola goal gave them a 2-2 draw against Super Eight bound Crystal Palace.

Oluwafemi Shola scored the opener for the hosts in the 15th minute but goals from Jean Francois and Mohamed Rawzan in the 22nd and 56th minutes gave Crystal Palace the lead. Shola however earned his side a point with the equalizer in the 77th minute.

Dominant Colombo FC relegate Kalutara Park

Colombo Fc players celebrate a goal against Negombo Youth.
Colombo Fc players celebrate a goal against Negombo Youth.

Colombo FC won 5-0 as Kalutara Park got relegated in a match they had to win if they had any chance of avoiding relegation.

Table topping Colombo FC showed no mercy as Bodrie Dimitri scored two goals in the 7th and 35th minutes while Zarwan Johar also scored two in the 38th and 52nd minutes. Ahamed Shazny added the other with a strike in the 44th minute.

Matara City win another thriller

Matara City after their epic win the previous week rode the wave as they defeated fellow strugglers Thihariya Youth 3-2 at the Matara Football Complex.

Goals from A.M.Prasanna and D.B.Weerappuli in the 21st and 34th minutes had given Matara City a 2-0 lead into half time. However, the visitors bounced back to equalize the scores with goals from D.S.Umbugadu and captain O.E. Uchenna in the 53rd and 60th minutes.

In a nail-biting finish with both sides searching for the winner it was A.Isaac for the hosts that scored the winner deep into injury time.