Western Province and North Western Province clinched the men’s and women’s football championships respectively at the 42ndNational Sports Festival.
Men’s Championship
In the final Western Province met North Western Province and won the match 3-0. At half time the winners led 2-0.
For Western it was Mohamed Issadeen, Mohamed Farzeen and Mohamed Ramees who scored a goal each.
In the semifinals Western Province hammered Sabaragamuwa Province 5-1 with Issadeen and Farzeen scored a double each to which Subash Chathuranga added the 5th. They led 2-0 at half time.
In the other semifinal North Western Province had to do it the hard way as they were taken into penalties by North Central Province after it ended 0-0 in normal time. NWP prevailed 6-5 on penalties.
In the 3rd place match Sabaragamuwa edged out North Central 2-1.
In the quarter finals Western defeated Central Province 2-0 with Issadeen scoring twice, Sabaragamuwa beat Uva Province 1-0. In the other two quarter finals North Central won 2-1 against Southern Province and North Western defeated Northern Province 6-5 on penalties as it ended 0-0 at full time.
Men’s Championship Best Player – Mohamed Issadeen
Women’s Championship
In the women’s final it was another Western and North Western Province showdown but this time it was North Western who out did the Westerners.
The match was decided by a single goal which was scored by Thilini Jayasinghe.
In the semifinal Western Province defeated Uva Province 2-0 while North Western defeated Southern Province 3-0 with Chalani Ekanayake, Nalika Karunarathne and Ashani Rathnayake scoring a goal each.
Uva Province won 2-0 against Southern Province to clinch 3rd place.
In the quarter finals Western hammered 6-0 against Northern Province and Uva Province beat Central Province 4-0.
Southern Province was given a walkover against North Central while North Western thrashed Eastern Province 8-0, with Chalani Ekanayake scoring 4 and Nalika scoring another three.
Women’s Championship Best Player – Thilini Jayasinghe
