Seychelles selection succumb to Sri Lanka |28 August 2014

The Sri Lankan national team came from behind to defeat the Seychelles selection 2-1 at Stad Linite on Tuesday evening in a friendly encounter.

The two sets of players were presented to Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Minister Vincent Meriton, Sri Lankan high commissioner Rajatha Piyatissa, Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) chairman Elvis Chetty before the first of two friendly matches between them.

The Seychelles squad were without caretaker coach Ulric Mathiot who is on an overseas mission in the Comores and it was his assistant Vivian Bothe who led the team who made a bright start.

Seychelles showed their intention in the second minute as the trio of Mervin Mathiot, Gervais Waye-Hive and Achille Henriette threatened before the danger was cleared.

The experimental Sri Lankan team responded four minutes later as Punsara Thiruna Senanayaka wriggled his way in the local team’s penalty area but he shot across the face of goal.

The Seychelles team had a clear chance to open the scoring in the 16th minute from Waye-Hive’s well-floated free kick over the Sri Lankan defence to defender Ronny Hoareau who had beaten the offside trap but with only goalkeeper Sujan Perera to beat, he blazed over the crossbar.

In the 19th minute, the Seychelles squad had another decent opportunity from Bertrand Esther’s pass to Mathiot who broke clear but instead of setting up the unmarked Waye-Hive, he took a shot which was way off target.

The Seychelles squad gave the local fans something to cheer about on the half hour mark as Achille Henriette showed good pace to elude two defenders on the left hand side and centred to Waye-Hive whose shot on the turn lacked sting but still rolled past goalkeeper Perera to make it 1-0.

Nine minutes later, Seychelles went close to scoring again from a fantastic crossfield pass by Steve Henriette to La Passe captain Achille Henriette who had raced clear and he centred to Mathiot who allowed goalkeeper Perera to push his shot into corner as the Sri Lankans rode their luck.

The Sri Lanka team, who were playing a high pressing game, made two substitutions in the second half but it was the Seychelles squad who created another good scoring opportunity in the 48th minute.

It all started from Waye-Hive’s effort which was half cleared to Achille Henriette who in turn played the ball to Benoit Marie. Côte d’Or defender Marie chipped the ball over the defence to Hoareau who was in the clear but his control let him down as he wasted his second clear chance.

The Seychelles team were made to pay for not taking their chances eight minutes later as Sajith Kumara got the better of the injured Benoit Marie to cross to substitute Zohar Mohamed Zarwan who blasted the ball past goalkeeper Kitson Cecile for an equaliser at 1-1 much to the delight of the Sri Lankan supporters in the grandstand.

The Seychelles team should have restored their lead just past the hour mark from Waye-Hive’s inswinging corner but Collin Esther headed a clear chance over the crossbar.

Coach Bothe pulled off the injured Marie and ineffective Mathiot but Bertrand Esther almost gifted the Sri Lankans a second goal in the 72nd minute with a square pass which was latched onto by Madhushan De Silva and teammate Zarwan. In a two-on-one situation, Seychellois defender Steve Henriette thwarted the threat.

Three minutes later at the other end, the Seychelles team had a gilt-edge chance from Collin Esther’s corner which was flicked on by Steve Henriette to Achille Henriette whose volley was cleared on the goalline.

In the 76th minute, the Sri Lankan team stunned the host nation after defender Steve Henriette failed to cut out a long ball to let in Zarwan who twisted and turned two defenders before unselfishly setting up substitute Mohamed Rifnas who thumped the ball into the roof of the net for a 2-1 lead.

Seychelles suffered another setback as defender Steve Henriette got injured as he hussled for the ball with Zarwan and had to be replaced by Kieran Sinon.

However, the Seychelles players continued to push forward for an equaliser and in the 89th minute, Achille Henriette sprinted down the left as he glided past a couple of defenders to cross to substitute Rachim Padayachy at the near post but he could not convert as the Seychelles team succumb to defeat.

Assistant coach Bothe was disappointed with the result after the match when he spoke to Sports Nation as he felt our players let a good chance to win this match slip from their grasp.

“We were performing well in the first half as we pressed our opponents high up the field and managed to penetrate their defence on numerous occasions where we had quite a number of scoring opportunities. But I’m disappointed with our second half showing as we did not go forward but played too many short passes at the back. We also lacked option in attack in the end though I strongly feel we should have won this match with the number of chances we created,” coach Bothe told Sports Nation.

As for Sri Lanka team coach, Serbian Nikola Kavazovic, who was in his first competitive match in charge of this Asian team, he was very happy with the result and the performance of his young team whose average age is 22 years.

“We know that it was going to be a very tough match but I must be satisfied as the players put into application what we have worked on in the last 10 days and I wish to congratulate these kids and the coaching staff.  It was difficult to prepare for this match as we did not know anything about our opponents and the Seychelles team proved in this match that they are a good team with plenty of experienced players. But our game plan was to press them from the first half and we saw them tiring in the second period as we are better prepared physically. At 1-1, they went chasing the result to try and win and we managed to score a second goal and I’m very pleased to win my first match and expect another good match today,” coach Kavazovic told Sports Nation.

The Seychelles selection will play the Sri Lankan team today, Thursday, in their second and farewell two-match tour and hopefully our team will be able to give us a win.

R. J-L.