Ratnam-Negombo YSC clash in first semi today

Bernard PERERA

Ratnam Sports Club the defending champions come up against strong opposition today when they meet Negombo Youth Sports Club in the first semi-final of the Dialog Premier League soccer championship at CR and FC ground. The kick off is scheduled for 3.30 p.m.

Ratnam SC came to the top of the points table with 27 points from ten games losing a game on their way to the semis.

This defeat was inflicted by the Jupiters SC in a first round game, but soon after this, they got their act together to be in front throughout the season.

Their comeback saw them collect the highest number of goals (27), while giving away 13 goals from the two stages. Ratnam also became the only team not to have a draw against their name this season.

Their rivals Negombo Youth Sports Club though they managed to reach the semi-final was out of colour when comparing with the team from Kotahena. Negombo who headed the Segment A-I in the early stage, came down to fourth position by the half way mark. The two wins they recorded during the latter part of the second stage saw them more up to second and booked the semi-final slot.

During the season, five victories and four draws saw them accumulate 19 points. Their strikers found the net on eighteen occasions while conceding seven to their opponents.

This factor goes on to prove the strength of the defence line, though it was powerful the front liners failed to strike form except for former national player G. P. C. Karunaratne who was the leading goal scorer for the Negombo team.

Meanwhile Ratnam SC packed with Sri Lanka’s best strikers Kasun Jayasuriya and E. B. Channa, they have a slight advantage. These have performed well this season for their club and Kasun has become the top goal scorer with 11 goals. Kasun have won the Golden Boot Award on an earlier occasion too. He is challenged by the Mohamed Issadeen of Sri Lanka Army who too has scored the same number of goals for Army which also has helped his side enter the semi-final.

In today’s game, Ratnam strikers will have come out with a strong fight to penetrate the defence of the Negombo team, as they have been very successful in that department. So the spectators will get the opportunity of witnessing a good battle between the strikers and the defenders.