Pelicans soar as Saunders crash to first defeat

By Susil Premalal

By the end of the fourth week (February 21–22) of the Champions League football tournament Super Eight round Pelicans Sports Club Kurunegala and Java Lane Sports Club Colombo remained unbeaten while Saunders crashed to their first defeat.

The tournament, organized by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), is held every weekend at the Race Course Ground in Colombo.

Pelicans, a leading club, have now played four matches in the Super Eight round, winning three and drawing one. With 10 points, they have taken the lead in the standings.

According to the latest Super Eight points table, Java Lane SC remain unbeaten in second place. Out of the four matches they have played so far, they have won two and drawn two, collecting eight points and trailing behind Pelicans SC. 

Meanwhile, Serendib SC Mawanella (6 points) and Saunders SC (5 points) are placed third and fourth respectively.

In the fourth week matches of the tournament, Solid SC Anuradhapura and Pelicans recorded victories.

Solid SC defeated Saunders SC 3–2 while Pelicans beat St. Mary’s SC Jaffna 2–0 last Sunday.

This was Saunders’ first defeat in the Super Eight round.

In the match between Saunders and Solid SC, Saunders led 2–0 at halftime. However, Solid players turned harder in the second half and scored three consecutive goals to secure victory.

Two of Solid’s three goals were scored by G. Gnanarupan in the 54th and 87th minutes, while Henry Chibueze netted the other goal in the 77th minute. For Saunders, Ziard Mufazzl (12th minute) and Roger Philippe (31st minute) scored in the first half.

Solid SC player Daniel Arubison was selected as the Man of the Match.

Pelicans secured a 2–0 win over St. Mary’s SC Jaffna scoring both goals in the first half and neither team managed to score in the second half.

Earnes Addo scored the two winning goals for Pelicans in the ninth and 39th minutes. For his outstanding performance, he was adjudged the Man of the Match.