Sri Lanka fail to book a place in the final
S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen-Kandy Sports Correspondent in
Nawalapitiya
Sri Lanka held Pakistan to a thrilling scoreless draw but failed to
quality for the finals of the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Football
Tournament 2012 organized by the Sports Ministry and Football Federation
of Sri Lanka and played at the Jayatillake Sports complex Nawalapitiya
yesterday.
Sri Lanka failed to quality for the finals mainly due to the fact
that they lost their opening match to Maldive Island 0-3 Pakistan in
tern lost to Maldive Island 0-1 and by Virtue of better goal aggregate
qualified to the finals. On Sunday Maldive Islands will meet Pakistan in
the finals.
The Sri Lankan put up a gallant performance yesterday and they did
not allow the strong Pakistan team any liberties.
The first half was evenly contested and both teams had their
opportunities of scoring towards the Pakistanis almost scored but Sri
Lanka's goal keeper Sujan Perera advanced and Pakistan's Hammed Khan
could not target his kick. Point-wise Sri Lanka Pakistan and Bangladesh
with one win each had equal number of points but it was on a better goal
aggregate that Pakistan were through to the finals.
C. R. Sri Krishna refereed Bangladesh perhaps created the biggest
upset of the tournament when they beat the favorites Maldive Island 1-0
in a thriller. At half time Bangladesh led 1-0.
Maldive Island perhaps paid the price for being complacent.
Bangladesh scored their warning goal in the 31st minute of first of
the boots of centre forward Alam Thowheed.
Dilan Perera refereed |