All favourite teams in semi-finals

Invitation schools soccer tourney:

Bernard PERERA

De Mazenod College defeated Wayamba Royal College three goals to one in a penalty shoot out to qualify for the semi finals in ongoing Invitation All Island Schools Soccer Tourney.

With their qualification they will now clash with Hameed Al Husseine College the organising school today at Sugathadasa stadium at 5 p.m.

De Mazenod College and Wayamba Royal were engaged in a real battle on the field yesterday with both teams displaying fine soccer. This made this tough for them to score, but the first Mazenodians got ahead.

Wayamba Royal fought back gallantly to equalise before the lemons 1-1. Malintha Migara was the man who score first for the Kandana team, while the equaliser. The second period failed to produce any goals and the match ended in a one all draw.

The referee decided to introduce the penalty shoot out at this stage and Mazenodians made no mistakes and netted in all three goals to which Wayamba Royal could manage only with one goal.

Meanwhile St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena and Zahira College, Colombo qualified to play in the semifinal of the All Island Invitation Soccer Championship organised by the Hameed Al Husseine College Group ‘80. The tourney is sponsored by Dialog GSM.

Bens who notched up the highest tally of goals when playing against Maris Stella College, Negombo in the first game came up with a another splendid performance to beat St. Thomas’ College, Matara in the quarter final four goals to nil.

Bens were in front at the half way mark 3-1. The goals being scored by A. Thejan (2). A. Bandaranayake in the first half, while in the second half the only goal for Bens came through the boot of Saman Nimesh.

The loser got their goals when D. Dumindahena and P. Weerappuli scored a goal each during the two sessions.

Zahira College, Colombo too made their way to the semis beating Holy Cross College, Kalutara five goals to nil. The teams came out for ‘lemons’ with Zahira in the lead 2-0.

Mohamed Fazal the play maker for the Zahira once again did well to net the three goals while the other two were scored by M. I. M. Zain and M. R. N. Rizmi.

Zahira will clash with St. Benedict’s College in the first semi final today at 3.00 p.m. The hosts Hameed Al Husseine is the third team which will face the semis to qualify for this. They outplayed Colombo’s Hindu College two goals to nil.

Hameed Al Husseine in a earlier game had to fight hard against D. S. Senanayake College to get through to the quarters. This was possible after a penalty shoot that went on for nine kicks.

But in the quarter they played a better game and made their way quite comfortably.