Syria blow Sri Lanka away

Syria kept true to their billing of title-challengers by blanking out Sri Lanka 4-0.

The Syrians did not have to try too hard to get the better of the Lankans, who had surprised all by beating Lebanon 4-3 on Saturday.

With this victory at Ambedkar Stadium on Monday, Syria also consolidated their lead at the top of the table. They are now ahead of the pack with six points in their kitty and six goals to their name.

Syria’s Mohamad Alzino drew first blood in the 27th minute. He headed the cross inside the area straight into the coveted box to set the tone for his 2007 Nehru Cup runners-up side.

Syria, who had opened their campaign with a dreary 2-0 win against Kyrgyzstan, then gave a glimpse of their attacking side. In the 33rd minute, Abdal Razak Al Housian increased his side’s lead. Alaa Alshbli volleyed the ball to him inside the goal box and Housian slotted home without any hitch.

Just four minutes later, the Syrian attack took the 156th-ranked Asian side’s defence by surprise. Lankan custodian Asanka Viraj and his defence line were not even given the time to react when Abdul Fatah Alaga scored his side’s third one. A curling cross from the left edge of the area landed at his feet. Then all that Alaga had to do was to get his left foot to the ball and slip it inside the goal. The Lankans, meanwhile, stood dumb-founded, trying to make out what had struck them.

The second part of the game was also played out on a similar note. The Syrians kept moving the ball on their command. The Lankans, meanwhile, tried their best to sound a threat in the rival area. But all their attempts to live up to the show they put up against Lebanon went in vain. The 95th-ranked Western Asians gave them no chance.
Their goalkeeper Mosan Balhous was all alert to keep his zone from any breach.

Ten minutes into the second part, Alaga struck again to put the lid on the encounter. The rival defence was again left wondering. After failing to match the Syrians’ pace, Lankans could not even put a resistance in their own area. Alaga had positioned himself well in front of an open post. He calmly slipped the approaching cross into the left edge of the goal. The Lankan keeper again could not help but cut a sorry figure.

With 10 minutes remaining, Lankan coach Sampath Perera took out Mohamad Asmeer. But this time the move didn’t have the same effect. In the Lebanon match, as soon as the unyielding midfielder was taken off, the Lankans’ body language and the result changed.

The Syrians, however, proved to be a different cut. They hardly allowed the rivals to penetrate deep. And, some of the shots that Sri Lanka’s workhorse Eridi Channa managed to aim at the Syrian post could not meet the mark.
In the tournament on Tuesday, Lebanon are in a must-win clash against Kyrgyzstan. The 148th-ranked Lebanon will have to win the match to keep themselves in contention.