Last night, at Colombo’s Racecourse Stadium, Sri Lanka’s football squad triumphed over Bhutan, breaking a two-and-a-half-year winless streak. In the climactic showdown of the FIFA Series 2024 Sri Lanka Edition, the home team clinched a commanding 2-0 victory against their South Asian counterparts.
The game kicked off with a subdued first half, devoid of goals, but Sri Lanka surged into action after the break. Within the initial 10 minutes, midfielder Dillon de Silva and defender James Oliver Kelaart found the back of the net, propelling Sri Lanka to glory.
The excitement ignited early on when Harsha Fernando executed a remarkable throw, narrowly missing a goal with James Kelaart’s header. Despite earning a corner just before halftime, Sri Lanka failed to convert it into a goal.
As halftime approached, Dillon de Silva initiated a promising attack towards the goal, but lacking support, Sri Lanka couldn’t capitalize. Fortunately, defender Jack Hingert thwarted a potential Bhutanese goal, coming to Sri Lanka’s aid.
With the onset of the second half, Sri Lanka wasted no time. Within the opening minute, Dillon de Silva netted his maiden goal for Sri Lanka, granting the home side a 1-0 lead. Despite numerous attempts, including another effort from de Silva and contributions from Harsha Fernando, Sri Lanka couldn’t widen their lead until defender James Oliver Kelaart struck in the 56th minute.
Substitutions were made during the match, with Leon Perera replacing Dillon de Silva in the 74th minute, and Rahul Suresh joining the fray late in the game. In the dying moments, veteran player Mohamad Fazal made his final appearance for Sri Lanka, replacing Oliver Kelaart, marking the end of an illustrious international career spanning 53 matches.
As the final whistle sounded, Sri Lanka’s captain Sujan Perera made a pivotal defensive play against a Bhutanese free kick, securing the well-deserved victory for his team. The crowd erupted in jubilation, not only celebrating the win but also paying tribute to the retiring legend, Mohamad Fazal, in an emotional post-match ceremony with the players.
