|
Semi-finals in Champions League...:
Blue Star vs Renown and Air Force vs Don Bosco
by Leslie FERNANDO
FOOTBALL: Top soccer fare is on the cards with the two semi-final
matches of the Champion League Soccer Tournament to be worked off on
November 14 and 15 at the City Football League grounds.
This main soccer tournament is conducted by the Football Federation
of Sri Lanka and sponsored by Dialog. The four teams to qualify for the
semis are: Blue Star SC, Kalutara, Don Bosco SC, Negombo, Sri Lanka Air
Force and Renown SC. In the league round matches completed over the
week-end saw Renown SC trounce Old Bens SC with the highest margin of
goals in the tournament 8-1, Blue Star SC edged out Sri Lanka Army
1-nil, Don Bosco SC scored an emphatic 3-1 win over New Youngs SC,
Wennappuwa while Air Force registered a close 1-nil win against Ratnam
SC. The first semi-final will be between in-form and favourites Renown
SC vs Blue Star SC on November 14 and the second semi-final - Don Bosco
SC vs Sri Lanka Air Force on November 15. Both matches will commence at
3.45 p.m. on respective days.
The final is scheduled for November 22 at the City Football league
grounds.
Both semi-final matches will be hotly contested as the standard of
teams are more or less the same except for Renown SC.
Renown SC coached by former star Sri Lanka striker M. Amanulla will
go flat out to maintain their winning streak against Blue star SC. The
well-knit Renown SC composed of very young and talented players has
shown better technical style of play in the earlier games. Commenting
about the match against Blue Star SC, Amanulla said: "It is going to be
a keen and tight game as the Kalutara team is a well-balanced side which
deserved to enter the semis".
The second semis between up-and-coming Don Bosco and experienced Air
Force should also be well contested. It will be a very important game
for both sides and the team which plays a clean and methodical game
should come out victorious.
The teams strikers should well remember that scoring goals is very
important and should succeed in hitting the net cleanly not fumbling
with the ball or kick wide out. Football means scoring goals and both
Don Bosco and Air Force strikers should have sharpness at the 'box'.
|
