By Gasper Crasto for Team Mangalorean Kuwait

Kuwait, November 10, 2009: Sri Lanka and black star Ghana won their matches convincingly in the 4th Kuwait African International Football tournament played at Digital Ground, Sharq, Kuwait City on 6th November 2009. The tournament is being organized by The Lighthouse Church (TLC), Kuwait.

The match between Sri-Lanka and Nepal started on an attacking note with both sides making sporadic raids to take an early lead. However, the game was mostly confined to the midfield with either side trying to seek an opening.

After a barren first half Sri-Lanka made some constructive moves and got their first breakthrough in the fifteenth minute when their striker Moh’d Irfan gave them the lead 1-0. The goal was soon equalized by Nepal (1-1).

Soon after the break Sri-Lanka’s Moh’s Sabry volleyed the ball into the opponent’s net to lead the team again (2-1). The game continued as Nepal pushed forward at every available opportunity to equalize. The Lankans, however, made it 3-1 off a quick counter attack.

Nepal did not stop mounting pressure but some solid defending by Kolvin and Mulaffir in the Sri Lankan defense gave little chance to the opponents.  

Moh’d Faris and Dilshan Brantha were cautioned with yellow cards by the match official.

The other game of the day was between black star Ghana and Benin. The young, energetic Benin lads played a cool, clean passing game with plenty of scoring moves. They held an upper hand in the opening minutes of the game until the black stars started to make some promising runs down the flank and were fully in command. Ghana took the lead through Theophilis (1-0).

Upon resumption Ghana put up a superb display of soccer skills and outplayed Benin in all departments of the game scoring another two quick goals 3-0.

The matches were officiated by Wizzy from Ghana and Mustafa Ceesay from Gambia. The League continues on Friday, 13th November 2009 with Nigeria facing Sierra Leone at 2.30pm, and Bangladesh facing Yemen at 3.30pm.

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