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The HC Essen Colombo came good in the friendly match against the HC Essen on Saturday September 6th at the Astro Turf in Colombo and beat the girls from Germany 4:1. Although the teams seemed equally strong in the first few minutes, the HC Essen Colombo scored its first goal in the 17th minute, when Nikeshala Attanayake powered her way through the HC Essen defence. Two minutes later, in the 19th minute.

Surangika Ratnayake pierced the German girls' defence to score again for the Sri Lankan team. After the second goal a heavy rainstorm began which made it difficult for the German girls. Nevertheless Patricia Rogosch scored the first goal for her team in the 23rd minute the only scoring which the German team did for the match.

After the half-time Nikeshala Attanayake scored again for her team in the 37th minute and in the 50th minute a brilliant goal was scored by Surangika Ratnayake, to make it 4-1 in favour of HC Essen Colombo.

The match was the last official friendly match of the HC Essen Germany during their stay in Sri Lanka under the motto "Games for Peace". The German captain Kristina Wald said that they have spent a very nice time in Sri Lanka and that they could learn a lot from the Sri Lankan hockey teams to improve their hockey.

As the tour was organized by AGSEP (Asian German Sports Exchange Program) Dietmar Doering, chairman of AGSEP, thanked Miss Apsara Gunarathne, national player of the Sri Lanka hockey team and player of the HC Essen Colombo, and Rohan Dissanayake, coach of the National Hockey Team for helping him organize the tour.

Apsara Guneratne who had spent almost two years in Germany with the HC Essen Germany gave the HC Essen Colombo its name in appreciation of the sportive promotion she got from the German club. She said "I and my team can always learn from the German team and I thank Mr. Doering for giving me the chance to play in Germany as he has done a lot for me and our country."

Rohan Dissanayake thanked the HC Essen for taking care of Apsara and emphasized the importance of the match for himself and the national hockey itself:" 30 years ago we were one of the best in Asia and but our hockey standard had declined in recent years. The Sri Lankan national team is in fact on its way to regaining its lost prestige as they won the silver medal in the Asian Hockey Federation Cup and therefore will play first level next season.

Birgit Brauer, media coordinator of AGSEP finally stressed the importance of the successful exchange tour: "I hope that this exchange can serve as a model for future exchanges because intercultural sports exchanges are an important vehicle for intercultural understanding and peace in the world."

On Wednesday September 10th German Hockey team will leave Sri Lanka and go back to Germany and they will "remember the matches and their stay in Sri Lanka as a great experience," Kristina Wald, captain of the HC Essen Germany, said.

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