Football: international friendly |30 August 2014

Seychelles win final match against Sri Lanka

The Seychelles national selection registered a morale-boosting 3-0 victory over the Sri Lankan national team at Stad Linite on Thursday in their second meeting this week.

The Seychelles team restored some lost pride after being beaten 1-2 by this same Sri Lankan team on Tuesday in a match which they dominated for long spells.

Sri Lankan high commissioner Rajatha Piyatissa, National Sports Council chief executive Giovanna Rousseau and Seychelles Football Federation chairman Elvis Chetty and other football officials were in the stands for Thursday’s match.

Therefore the boys of assistant coach Vivian Bothe were desperate for a win to save face and it was Ronny Hoareau who captained the side in the absence of usual captain Henny Dufresne and Steve Henriette was also missing through injury.

But it was two young midfielders, namely Rachim Padayachy and Senky Vidot who helped a lot this time round as they hassled the Sri Lankans and did not give them space and time as they closed them down.

In fact the Seychelles team played better as a unit and they defended much better though they did not start well on Thursday.

It was the Sri Lankan though who picked up from where they had left off in their first match as they came out with all guns blazing and in the seventh minute Bandara Ratnayake centred to Zohar Mohamed Zarwan who appeared to be shoved in the back by captain Hoareau but referee Bernard Camille was not convinced.

Five minutes later, the Sri Lankans had another gilt-edge opportunity as Tuesday’s goalscorer Zarwan got the better of Andrew Onezia to pick out Punsara Thiruna Senanayaka but he tried to toe poke the ball on goal but it rolled wide.

The Seychelles team then raised their game and went on to control the match and in the 23rd minute, Padayachy threaded a pass to Gervais Waye-Hive who beat the offside trap but could not properly get hold of the ball.

In the 28th minute, Senky Vidot played a glorious ball to Mervin Mathiot who cut inside his marker on the left to cross to Waye-Hive whose shot was pushed into corner.

The Seychelles squad were to score from the resulting corner played by Achille Henriette and Collin Esther made a clever dummy run which confused the Sri Lankan defence and he let the ball roll to Waye-Hive who stabbed it home to make it 1-0.

The Seychelles team were now buzzing and on the half hour mark Achille Henriette darted forward and filtered a pass to Waye-Hive who was in the clear but instead of lobbing the advancing goalkeeper Mohamed Imran, he shot low and the ball flew agonisingly wide.

The Sri Lankans had a good chance to level the score in the 37th minute from Zarwan’s teasing free kick which fell to Bandara Ratnayake but he could not direct a free header on target.

Sri Lanka’s Serbian coach Nikola Kavazovic tried to revive his team’s fortune by bringing in four substitutes for the second half but the Seychelles team were still the better side.

On the hour mark, Sri Lankan goalkeeper Imran played a poor goal kick to Eranda Prasad but Waye-Hive intercepted the pass and bore on goal and fired at Imran who parried the ball.

Achille Henriette pounced on the loose ball and looked odds on to score but his shot grazed the crossbar as the Sri Lankans rode their luck.

In the 63rd minute, the Sri Lankans were unlucky not to draw level from substitute Kavida Isham’s wicked cross which reached another substitute Madhushan De Silva at the back post but he crashed his shot against the foot of the post.

From the counter attack, Waye-Hive raced to collect a long ball but goalkeeper Imran picked up the ball outside his penalty area to concede a free kick and was also booked. Waye-Hive teed Henriette who curled in a beauty as he floated the ball into the far corner for a 2-0 lead.

The Seychelles team were now rampant and in the 71st minute Henriette released Waye-Hive who was in the clear but he was held back by a defender for a free kick.

In the 78th minute, Waye-Hive completed his brace from a delightful long pass by Bertrand Esther over the Sri Lankan defence and he rifled a beautiful left foot volley which went through the gloves of goalkeeper Imran to make it 3-0.

In the 84th minute, substitute Ryan Antat headed a decent chance over the crossbar from Collin Esther’s inviting free kick as the Seychelles team ran out deserved winners of this encounter.

Assistant coach Vivian Bothe was as expected pleased that his team had shown character to bounce back from defeat.

“I’m pleased with our performance as we were conscious that we had to improve and we played better in midfield and there was more movement in attack. We could have even won by a wider margin. So in view of the players who were available, we have to be satisfied with the result,” assistant coach Bothe told Sports Nation.

As for the Sri Lanka’s coach Kavazovic, he was gracious in defeat as he praised the local team.

“I would like to congratulate the Seychelles team as they deserved to win as they were under pressure for a good result. We started well and had an excellent opportunity early in the match which we failed to convert. But nonetheless, I’m satisfied with my team’s performance,” coach Kavazovic said.

The Sri Lankan team will leave the country today after their two-match tour.

R. J-L.