Matara City, New Star first to enter pre-quarter stage
Hot favourites Java Lane, one-time top guns in local football Old Bens and Nandimithra were among the well recognised that were ousted from the ongoing Cargills Food City FA Cup Championship after last week’s games. Among the first to advent to the pre-quarter finals were Matara City and New Star who won their crucial games last weekend.
Matara City beat Super Sun by 3-0 while the outcome of the game between New Star and Pelicans had to be decided on penalties after the fulltime scores were locked at 1-all. New Star eventually went on to beat Pelicans by 4-3.
Action between Old Bens vs UC Lions
Among matches played last Sunday, Java Lane fans were left speechless after their team suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Colombo FC at Baddegana. Colombo FC who played with full force and vengeance after their failed attempt in the concluded Dialog Champions League 2013 beat Java Lane by 6-2. Colombo FC, the DCL 2013 Group ‘A’ table leaders played a well combined game with their African players making inroads to the Java Lane territory on several occasions causing much disarray and outplaying their opponent’s defence, resulting in the half-a-dozen goal glut.
One-time FA Cup champions, Old Bens had a bitter defeat at the hands of Upcountry Lions who won the game by 5-0. Upcountry Lions who played a well planned game will now meet much fancied Ratnams in the pre-quarterfinal stage. Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) drubbed the only surviving team from the Northeast region, Eastern Youth by 5-0. Eastern Youth could not find their rhythm and conceded the SLTB strikers the opportunity to score as many as five goals.
Solid SC, one of the DCL 2013 semi-finalists, had a narrow escape when their game against Nandimithra ended in scoreless and ended in their favour by 5-4 after the penalty shootout. Kalutara Park too won against Red Sun 2-1 after a close battle to move forward in the competition. The Cargills Food City FA Cup now moves to the pre-quarterfinal stage and the competition is expected to hot up as it reaches the final stage in the coming weeks.
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