Thursday, 28th August 2014
The Sri Lankan national team edged our Seychelles national selection 2-1 on Tuesday afternoon at the Unity Stadium in a two match friendly tour watched by Minister Vincent Meriton and the Sri Lankan high commissioner Mr Rajatha Piyatissa amongst the crowd of spectators.
The Seychelles team will meet the Sri Lankan squad who arrived in the country on Saturday again today, Thursday in their farewell match where the local side will be hoping to make amends for their loss.
Assistant coach Vivian Bothe, who is standing in for interim head coach Ulric Mathiot who is on overseas assignment in the Comores, told TODAY Sports of his disappointment with his team who had the upper-hand in this match but then lost their shape in the second half and got beaten.
“In the first half, we were pressing our opponent and we managed to put them under a lot of pressure as we penetrated their defense,” Coach Bothe reflected.
In fact, the Seychelles team were dominant in the first half where they created numerous opportunities with their passing and movement but they failed to convert all the chances that came our way.
Ronny Hoareau should have broken the deadlock from Gervais Waye-Hive’s free kick over the defense but he shot over the crossbar with the goal begging.
The Seychelles team finally went ahead on the half mark after a superb break by danger man Achille Henriette to skip past a couple of defenders to cross to Gervais Waye-Hive who shot low past goalkeeper Sujan Perera for a 1-0 lead.
Seychelles should have gone 2-0 up from a glorious pass by Steve Henriette to the marauding Achille Henriette who centred to Mervin Mathiot whose shot was pushed into corner by goalie Perera.
Coach Bothe felt his team changed their style of play in the second period where they tried to play from the back and it proved costly.
However his counterpart Nikola Kavazovic disagreed but rather thought his team had tired the local team with their high pressing which made them ran out of steam and two of their five substitutes scored the vital goals.
But by then Seychelles should have extended their lead three minutes after the break but once again Hoareau’s control let him down with only goalie Perera to beat.
The Sri Lankan, who showed more purpose and aggressivity, levelled the score in the 56th minute as Sajith Kumara broke clear to centre to substitute Zohar Mohamed Zarwan who fired past goalkeeper Kitson Cecile for a 1-1 score.
The Sri Lankan were now buzzing and according to coach Kavazovic, he thought that the Seychelles team were going out for victory at this stage but instead got caught in the 25th minute as Steve Henriette failed to clear a long ball to let in Zarwan who twisted and turned to feed another substitute Mohamed Rifnas who rifled home to make it 2-1.
The Seychelles selection then tried to force a draw but lacked the striker to cut open the Sri Lankan defence, a point which coach Bothe admitted after the match as he revealed that his team lack option in attack.
“I felt we could have won this match especially in our first half performance and if we had scored the numerous chances that came our way. So overall I’m disappointed as we should have done better,” Coach Bothe said.
As for the Sri Lankan coach Kavazovic, he celebrated his first victory with the team with a good group of Sri Lankan supporters in the stands as he made a winning start to his tenure with this Asian team.
“I think physically we are much better prepared than the local team as they were tired in the second half and I’m very satisfied with the result and congratulate my players and coaching team as we are happy that they put into use what we had worked on in the last ten days. The Seychelles is also a very good side with lots of experience and I expect another tough match today,” the Sri Lankan head coach told TODAY Sports.
From : https://www.facebook.com/todayinsey/posts/708899865814493
