St. Joseph’s College secured a dominant 5-1 win against Mahinda College, Galle in the inaugural encounter of ThePapare Football Championship 2018, at the Race Course International Stadium.
The Josephians and the Mahindians missed a penalty each and were unconvincing in most plays throughout the 90 minutes squandering multiple opportunities to score goals.
National player Asela Madushan opened the scoring and gave the Joes the lead after getting a beautiful through ball into the box before coolly slotting it past the goalkeeper.
Mahinda got a golden opportunity in the 12th minute when a through ball found their forward inside the box, but the Joes goalkeeper Marshal Kodikara was quick to react and make the save. The rebound effort took a deflection before going over the bar.
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In the 17th minute against the run of play, a cross into the Mahinda box found the back of the net off the leg of Mahinda skipper K. De Silva, as the Joes went up 2-0. They made it 3-0 as D. Dulshan got the ball inside the opposition box after some great passing play, before finding the back of the net.
The 36th minute saw Mahindians get a much-deserved breakthrough as they pulled one back when S. Yashmila managed to intercept the ball inside the Joes box and score with a brilliant finish.
Mahinda, who seemed on their way to mounting a comeback, shot themselves in the foot yet again when their skipper conceded a sloppy free-kick on the edge of the box. Mahinda’s goalkeeper T. Pawan had a simple save to make from the Asela Madushan delivery but somehow let the ball slip through his gloves, gifting Joes their fourth goal.
Half Time – St. Joseph’s College 4 – 1 Mahinda College
Asela Madushan got two opportunities to secure his hat-trick, first when he got the ball inside the opposition box and attempted a finesse shot, but Pawan made a good save early in the half. Second, in the 68th minute from inside the box, but a poor finish saw the chance go begging.
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Asela brilliantly dribbled into the opposition box before being taken down by a sloppy challenge, the referee pointed straight to the spot. Jason Fernando stepped up to take the spot kick, but Pawan made a brilliant save diving to his left.
Kodikara made a brilliant save rushing forward in a one on one situation to deny a Mahinda College forward. The 65th minute saw more drama as this time Mahinda were awarded a penalty, when their forward inside the Joes box was taken down. K. Gimhana’s ferocious effort bounced off the crossbar and the weak rebound effort was saved by Kodikara.
After a fierce first half, it took till the 85th minute for the first goal of the second half. After a clearance with all but the Mahinda goalkeeper inside the Joes half, Senal Sandesh took advantage of a poor clearance from the onrushing Pawan to score into an open goal.
Full Time – St. Joseph’s College 5 – 1 Mahinda College
ThePapare.com Player of the Match – Asela Madushan (St. Joseph’s College)
Goal Scorers
St. Joseph’s College – Asela Madushan 5’ & 40’, Chamath Rashmitha 17’, D. Dulshan 29’, Senal Sandesh 85’
Mahinda College – S. Yashmila 36’
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