Holcim FA Cup 2005:

Saunders - Ratnam in soccer's supremacy battle

BY BERNARD perera

THE FA Cup soccer championship which is the plum of the soccer tourneys' which is staged in Sri Lanka for the 56th year will see the final played on Sunday at the Sugathadasa Stadium under lights.

This year the prestigious championship is sponsored by Holcim Lanka Ltd is named as Holcim FA Cup for the first time was handed over to the Football Federation at a simple ceremony at Football House on Tuesday.

Saunders Sports Club, from Price Park Pettah will take on their neighbours from Kotahena's Ratnam Sports Club at Sugathadasa Stadium on Sunday July 24 under lights the kick off is scheduled for 6.00 p.m.

Saunders SC have reached the FA Cup finals on twenty five occasions and won the cup on twenty times while losing on five of their final appearances.

This years final engagement will be their 26th and hope to down the reigning champions Ratnam SC to keep their supremacy as leaders in soccer making it a double for the year 2005. As they are the Kit Premier League champs.

On the other hand Ratnam SC too have a fine FA Cup record having reached the finals on 26 times, but has won only thrice, and ended up as runner up on 23 occasions. Their last FA Cup victory being the 2004 championship after a penalty shoot out against Renown SC.

Saunders SC who failed to reach the top of the Kit Premier League in the year 2003 with a new look side came up strongly last year to win the premier league title.

Their youngsters has done lot of hard work to give their club the due place at top level tournaments, but only failure was in the champion of champions trophy where came only upto semis.

P. D. Sirisena a renowned name in the field of soccer who was the stalwart behind Pettah Club's success for nearly four decades guides the side with all his knowledge on the game. Sirisena still holds the record for scoring the highest number of goals in the FA Cup Soccer Championship tournaments.

This he achieved in the year 1960 playing against Wellawatte spinning weaving mills which had the services of national goal keeper Hashim Deen. Deen was famous his goal keeping in the Asian Region.

Ratnam SC the runners up team in the recently concluded Kit Premier League behind Saunders SC will have to come out with everything in store to halt the high riding opponents in this game.

Ratnam SC from Kotahena too has been always in the forefront of local soccer scene for nearly four decades, They too have produced many national players. With the present professionalism all clubs had difficulties in retaining their players for longer periods.

This problem is one reason why Ratnam had to face during the past few years. But in the recent past the club has maintained its consistency and this made the way for them to reach top slots in all tournaments.

This year the FA Cup attracted 125 teams from all parts of the country where total of 124 matches were completed before the final. Saunders SC after reaching the Pre quarter finals defeated Police SC another strong contender at the early stages six goals to five.

On reaching the quarters with this victory had to confront Sri Lanka where Saunders had sweat all the way before winning at 2-1. Their semi final opponents came from Wennappuwa's New Youngs SC who reached the semis for the first time in its club history.

Saunder expected a cake walk victory here but New Youngs proved that it was a team which can take on giants at any stage. Here the winners from Pettah over came in the last stages of the game winning with narrow margin 2-1.

Ratnam SC too had to fight all the way from the pre quarter stage. They had to face less fancied Maya SC which they won comfortably 6-1.

But the quarter final was a tough one playing against champion of champions Java Lane SC from Slave Island. But top ranked side from Slave Island could not pose the threat what their opponents expected and lost at 3-0.

The hardest game the Kotahena team had to come over the semi final which saw the Navy SC come out with a strong challenge. It was the toughest for Ratnam but cruised to one nil win which enabled them to come for the final.

Sunday's final is expected to be a battle between the strikers of both teams. It left for the defenders of both teams to be on alert right throughout the full 90 minute period.

The side that penetrates the defence first to score is sure to have advantage in this game. So it is the duty of the strikers to put their side in front at an early stage.

Rodolfo Montero Vice President of Holcim Lanka Ltd who handed over newly designed Cup named Holcim FA Cup at a ceremony last Tuesday at Football House said that football is a sport that is played by the majority of people in the world. Holcim is also a famous name like Football in the world which caters to almost 70 countries of world.

This was the main reason why Holcim Lanka Ltd wanted to join hands with Football in Sri Lanka. Football in Sri Lanka is on the upward trend.

The only thing needed today is the sponsorship support to keep the game moving. With our company's association we think football will prosper in the future. This is mind we are ready to continue the fullest co-operation for this world renowned game of soccer, said Montero.