After receiving a bye in the Quarter Finals, Zahira College faced Trinity College in the Semi Finals of the Dialog School Knockout Championship 2025.
The game started off with a bang as a huge wave of Trinity players chased the kick off to perfection, and it Trinity’s hard ball carrier Manusha Silva who got his name on the score sheet. Trinity were off the blocks in the first minute of the game. Shan Althaf knocked over the extras to give Trinity the early lead. (Trinity 07 – 00 Zahira)
The game which got off to a flyer, slowly started to settle down with both teams trying to get some headway. It was Trinity who cracked the defense of their opponents next.
A bit of kick tennis resulted in the ball going into the hands of the danger man Shan Althaf. Known for his kicking prowess, this time Althaf showed the viewers that he was no easy lad to contain, with ball in hand too, as he ran 60m and went through the entire Zahirian Defense to score a beauty.
He failed to add the extras and Trinity extended their lead. (Trinity 12 – 00 Zahira)
Trinity stormed into the Grand Finals of the Knockout Championship after 12 years.
The Zahirians were quick to respond with a try off a well-set rolling maul. An effort from all their forwards got them the score.
Abdullah Hassan curled the ball back in to the sticks to add the extras. (Trinity 12 – 07 Zahira)
Zahira had to score next to stay in the contest before lemons, and score they did. Trinity were made to pay for their mistakes as the Zahirians took a quick tap off of a penalty on their own 40m. They worked the ball down the line before Abdullah Hassan put in a chip ahead. Shan Althaf fumbled the ball as Hassan collected it and went over for Zahira’s second try.
The kick went astray as the scores were all leveled. (Trinity 12 – 12 Zahira)
Half Time – Trinity 12 (2T, 1C) vs Zahira 12 (2T, 1C)
The team that scored first after the turnaround was evidently going to take the upper hand in the game.
It was Trinity who put their hand up first. A yellow card to Zahira’s Wing-three quarter Binuka Perera, gave way for Trinity to steamroll their way to the time. This time, it was the forwards who rumbled. Hamza Abdeen scored the try off the back of the maul.
Althaf added the extras, to get Trinity back in the lead. (Trinity 19 – 12 Zahira)
It suddenly turned out to be a game that was struck with injuries and a barrage of players falling on the turf with cramps.
The Trinity skipper Usman Safraz was the next to go over the line. An interesting decision to put in a punt inside the 22m paid off, as the rub of the green favoured him. The ball landed right in his hands as he went over.
Althaf added the 2 points from right in from of the uprights. (Trinity 26 – 12 Zahira)
Zahira kept looking to pierce the Trinity defense for around 20 minutes, but the depth in the Trinity bench was just a little too much for Zahira to contain.
Zahira’s efforts were cut in half when one of their players caught the Trinity attacker in the air and conceded a penalty just in front of the sticks.
Althaf sealed the deal for Trinity by slotting the penalty over, as Trinity booked their spot in the Grand Finale of the Dialog Schools Knockout Championship 2025 after 12 long years.
Zahira had no points to show in the second half, as Trinity’s trusted defense came to the fore once again to save the day for the lads from the Hill Capital.
Full Time – Trinity 29 (4T, 3C, 1P) beat Zahira 12 (2T, 1C)
- Swisstek Player of the Match – Shan Althaf (Trinity College)
