Zahira College absolutely demolished visitors Ananda with a five star performance scoring 5 past the visitors in their U19 Division I group stage fixture held at Zahira College Ground Maradana.

Zahira College came into the game favourites as they took on underdogs Ananda College.

The Ananda coach surprisingly formed in an attacking 4-4-2 formation while hosts Zahira formed 4-3-3 with the intention of commanding possession.

Unsurprisingly Zahira College made the first breakthrough in just the 8th minute of the game after a marvellous build-up led to a goal by Captain Farood Faiz as he popped up at the back post to add the finishing touch to a low cross.

Hosts, Zahira continued to command possession and dominated the game and played the game in the visitors half of the pitch.

The hosts pressure and dominance paid off as they doubled their lead in the 20th minute of the game through Mohamed Murshid. The lad with number 10 on his back was at the right place at the right time to sublimely finish across the keeper and put the hosts in a commanding position.

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Favourites, Zahira continued to pepper the right flank of Ananda as chances came thick and fast for Zahira College.

The next goal came off the head of Shafran Sathar as he was on the end of a free kick of Mohamed Shaheel.

The first half was dominated by the hosts holding possession and commanding territory.

The final goal of the first half came off a sublime through ball from captain Faroodh, where Mohamed Hammadh was on the end of the through ball and cut it across the face of goal as Murshid had a simple tap in to make it four for the hosts.

A first half totally controlled and dominated by the hosts came to an end as the hosts would have loved the half to carry on.

Half Time: Zahira College 4 – 0 Ananda College

Dominant Zahira kicked off the second half with the coach asking for more of the same as the first 45 minutes of the game.

A fifth goal off a free kick came when central defender Ijaz Ishan drilled a low shot past the visiting goalkeeper. J.D. Weerakkodi had a disastrous day between the sticks and it got no better as he fumbled the free kick and after a couple of missed clearances, Ishan made it five for the hosts.  

Zahira M. Hammadh had a golden opportunity to make it six but a stinger by the midfielder was stopped in unconvincing fashion as visiting goalkeeper Weerakkodi stuck out his right hand.

The visitors’ day went from bad to worse as central defender S.A.M Ladushan brought down a Zahira man in the box as the referee had no hesitation to award a penalty. Stepped up left footer Shaheel but failed to convert from the spot as he pulled it wide of the left post.

Ananda College seemed to be clueless during the whole of the game as they failed to string passes together and miserably failed to control possession in the game.

The visitors’ only chance of the game came when the home goalie made a horror clearance throwing the ball straight to Ananda replacement A.J.M Amarasooriya. The forward squandered the lovely opportunity to pull on back as he shot wide of the goal.

The game ended as Zahira managed a convincing 5-nil win as they prepare to face rivals Hameed Al Husseinie College on Thursday even though the venue of the game is still undecided.

Full Time: Zahira College 5 – 0 Ananda College

ThePapare.com Player of the match: Farood Faiz (Zahira College Captain)

Goal Scorers

M.F.M Faroodh 8’, 42’, M. Murshid 20’, Shafran Sathar 25’, Ijaz Ishan 56’