Hiraai Suns beat Flash F.C 3-1 to win Colaba Sports League 2016

by Balbir Singh June 12, 2016

On Saturday evening, 11^th June, 2016, Hiraai Suns were crowned champions of the Colaba Sports League campaign, defeating Flash F.C 3-1 – in comprehensive fashion – by the time referee blew the full-time whistle. Following two goals scored in quick successions from Shrikant V. in the 27^th and 31^st minute, the game reached a stalemate point until Flash F.C made maximum use of the half-time break, pulling a goal back 5 minutes into it. But Hiraai Suns restoring their two-goal advantage close to the midway point in the second-half settled their side’s nerves and faded any real hopes for a comeback for Flash F.C.

The Cooperage stadium provided as a fulfilling set of continuous on-rushing enthusiasm, happiness and a slight sense of satisfaction with achievement, flocking in crowds from all across Colaba and the city of Mumbai. The two leading protagonists of the CSL Krishna Pawle and Sudhakar Rane have sustained a progressive level of growth structure as the league concluded its second edition. The league remains a fine blueprint and a success-story for communities across the city to follow step-by-step in-order-to produce a comparatively higher level of football in franchise-based football leagues at the community level. The game, though, decided for itself as it unfolded to the gathering.

Both sides started the first-half at a fairly high tempo, resulting in the creation of chances from the offset. Though, as the game proceeded, both teams settled in playing cautious, no-risk football as the half edged closer to its climax. Flash F.C having failed in most chances created in the majority portion of the first-half, slipped to let in Shrikant V. through on goal after a defensive mishap at the back on 27 minutes; the Hiraai Suns no.9 made no mistake and guided the ball past goalkeeper Sagar Pagdhare’s right. The opener was followed by another strike from Shrikant V., who found the ball in space in front of goal to produce another tidy finish 4 minutes later to double his side’s goal tally.

The second-half showcased promising efforts from either side to take the match away from each other. Flash F.C began the half with an upper-hand, scoring inside 5 minutes through Tejas Raut. The match seemed to be deviating from its initial final outcome to a point, for a while, but Hiraai Suns came back, restoring their two-goal advantage courtesy of Heekmat Singh’s composed finish from inside the six-yard box – chest-controlling the ball down to guide it past the still-facing goalkeeper.

The match remained to be exchanging hands, where momentum shifted but failed to capture real attention through a goal-bound opportunity being created. Hiraai Suns came out as a stronger shell to crack open, equally performing in sync on both fronts.  Flash F.C arrived as fan favourites into the game, but went short against a better opposition on the day, at least.

Below is the list of individual honours for Colaba Sports League 2016: