Saunders Sports Club entered the final of the Vantage FA Cup 2020 beating Blue Eagles (Air Force) by five goals to one yesterday at the Race Course ground.
The first fifteen minutes saw the Eagles in full control of the game but Saunders soon settled down to play their normal game and found good results in the 33rd minute of the first session when Chamath Rasmitha netted in the most needed goal.
They continued for another seven minutes before MSM Kurshid added the second goal for Saunders SC to take a comfortable 2-0 lead. But this lead did not last long as Eagles striker MMPCM Fernando made good use of a neat pass from the left wing and slammed in a goal to reduce the lead 2-1.
The teams went in for the break with Saunders leading.
The second session began with the Eagles trying their best to come to equal terms by way of using the attacking system. They penetrated the defence of Saunders on many occasions and took as many as five superb shots at goal but all their efforts were thwarted by the Saunders goal keeper KKS Thilakasiri.
While attacking the opponents’ goal, the Eagles had many power packed shots at the goal but were off target. NC Abeysekera netted in the third goal for Saunders which put more pressure on the Eagles. Abeysekera once again came in handy for the Pettah club scoring his second goal of the match which helped his side to be on a firm footing.
With only two minutes away from the final whistle Sundaraj Niresh managed to get the ball which bounced off the hands of the Eagles goalie HMPR Arunasiri and kicked it to score their fifth goal.
Saunders made one substitution while Eagles players LA Bandara and KCK Lankeswar who received two warnings were sent off when Referee FM Irshan pulled out red cards in the 62nd and 87th minutes respectively.