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| Saturday, 18 October 2003 |
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Negombo Youth lose to I.F.C 2-1 N.U. Abdul Razzak in Male The visiting Sri Lankan Division one club and the premier division one Tournament champions of 2002/2003 Negombo Youth SC lost their match against the Island Football Club (IFC) of Maldives by 2 goals to 1 in the opener of the 16th Pomis Cup match played under flood lights at the National Stadium in Male' on 14.10.2003. Negombo Youth SC who are minus five of their key players who went to Syria with the National Squad got off to a flying start as their playmaker, the former Sri Lankan captain Roshan Perera scoring a superb goal through a corner given at the 10th minute of the game. Then the I.F.C. came back to the game as their Holland player Barry perfectly netted the penalty which was offered to the IFC as a Negombo defender was blown for a foul in the danger zone by the Singaporean referee Manian who is flown in for this final soccer show of the season in Maldives. From then onwards things went wrong for the yellow jerseyed Lankan boys. Three yellow cards were shown to the Negombo team as they tried rough tactics. The second half was the disaster for the visitors as their star striker captain Karunaratna and defender Senaka Fernando were sent off the field for rough play in the 22nd and 35th minutes of the second half. The Negombo Youth reduced to nine players fought hard to control the late onslaught of the I.F.C, who made a right substitution to heighten the attack. Their Nigerian player Kingsley rose to the occasion helping his club dominate the possession in the latter part of the second half. Their efforts paid dividends as their playmaker Berry scored the second goal to give the vital points to ensure their advance for the next round. He deservedly received the Man of the Match award for his gallant performance. For the losers Roshan Perera and the goal keeper Naushad excelled. The goalie got the highest admiration from the spectators as he made five spectacular saves. The Negombo Youth must win their next match to ensure their progress for the next round of the tournament where four Maldivian division one clubs and the Club Mahendra of Mumbai India and Negombo Youth vie for the honours of lifting the 16th Pomis Cup offered by the Football Association of the Maldives (FAM). |
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