Old Bens Golden Jubilee Soccer Tourney begins today

BERNARD PERERA

The soccer tournament organised by Old Bens Sports Club as part of its golden jubilee celebrations get underway today at St. Benedict’s College grounds, Kotahena.

The tourney which is an invitation championship for schools and clubs will see eight leading Premier League teams participating while in the schools section too eight schools will compete for the Old Bens Challenge Trophy.

Today in the schools opening game Zahira College take on Ananda College. In this game Zahira is favoured to win as they are in peak form Zahira a week ago won the ‘Reborn Cup’ with M. N. M. Fazal setting a new record.

Anandians will have to mark Fazal and M. N. M. Rasheed the skipper of the Maradana school if they are to pose a threat to the Zahirians.

In the club championship it will be Ratnam Sports Club that came out to meet Saunders SC in the opening game soon after the school match. Here the Ratnam team have the advantage as they are packed too main strikers Kasun Jayasuriya and E. B. Channa.

Ratnam who lost to Police SC in the Premier League will have to come up with a much better display if they are to reach the top before the major tournaments commence.

On the other hand Saunders SC could not maintain the prestige they had in the past failing to be within the top four. But the glamour boys of soccer from Pettah are capable of giving a tough time to the Ratnam SC team from Kotahena.

Tomorrow De Mazenod College take on Isipatana while in the club segment Renown SC will meet Blue Star SC from Kalutara at the same venue.