Colombo Football Club defeated Transport United Football Club, Bhutan by 7 goals to 1 in the first leg of the AFC Cup 2019 Preliminary stage match played at the Racecourse ground yesterday.
Colombo FC got off to flying start to stun the visitors scoring three goals within a space of 11 minutes. The first goal came off the boot of Tange Dimitri in the fifth minute and the second just three minutes later from M.F.M. Aakib. This was followed by Aakib once again scoring his second goal to put his side further ahead in the 11th minute.
Play continued with the visitors trying all they had in store to reduce the lead. But all their efforts failed as the defence line of Colombo FC halted all their attempts to go past.
The Colombo FC’s mid fielders and the defence line performed a fine job during the first half.
With 23 minutes left for the breather Colombo’s striker Seka Yapo netted in the fourth goal to put more pressure on the Bhutanis and the score at the break was 4-0 in favor of the hosts.
After the break with Bhutanis trying to make a comeback they went on the attack but this time too their efforts failed to produce good results with the local team playing good soccer.
The battle went on for almost 30 minutes with both teams failing to net any goals. Once again it was Dimitri who broke through the defence line to score the fifth goal for Colombo. Bhutanis got their solitary goal when their striker Kencho Tobgay netted in. After this goal they once again went on the attack but failed to add to the score.
Asikur Rahaman slammed the sixth goal and ten minutes before the final whistle Dimitri fired in his third goal to make it a fine 7-1 victory for Colombo FC.
Colombo FC’s Priyantha Kumara addressing the media soon after the match said that the entire team played well as planned to bring this victory. “Our plan first was to strengthen the defence line and instructed the players to feed the midfielders so that the strikers will get good ball to go on the attack. This was well performed by all members of the team.”
Kumara further said that the team was scheduled to leave the island on 25 February for the second leg in Bhutan have now planned to go on 22nd with the aim of giving the players time to get used to the prevailing cold climatic conditions.
Transport United FC’s head Coach Ngawang Dhendup said that his players could not live up to expectations as they had to face hot conditions for which they are not familiar with. “We did not get enough time for practices as we arrived on the 18th night. My players could not work as a team due to this factor. We hope to do better in the second leg although we will have to work very hard as the score line is a tough one with six goals behind.”
Libya’s Hussein Abo Yehia controlled the game with the assistance of Libya’s Samer Badr, Adnan Abdallah and Sadullo Gulmorodi. UAE’s Mohammad Saeed Alhattawi served as the Match Commissioner.
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