RCHC emerge champions in CHA 9-a-side hockey tournament

Seated (from left): Shahid Kuthubdeen (Vice Captain), Rohan Dissanayake (Coach), Lasitha Manchanayake (Captain), Shihar Aneez (Manager) and Aloka Amarasiri. Standing (from left): Pasindu Charaka, Hallaj Falul, Dilan Kavinda, Nelaka Wedagama, Janath Wijeratne, Thanvir Hallaj, Ashen Peiris, Malith Abeysundera and Praveen Buddhika  

The Royal College Hockey Club (RCHC) emerged ‘B’ Division champions in the 2018 nine-a-side hockey tournament organised by the Colombo Hockey Association (CHA) worked off at the CH & FC grounds recently. 

RCHC, sponsored by IT giant KBSL and coached by former national coach Rohan Dissanayake, started the tournament with a 0-1 defeat against CH & FC’s ‘B’ team, but recovered with a lucky victory against Old D.S. Senanayake via a toss after two single series penalty strokes following a three-penalty series ending in a draw. 

Later they won against Old Joseph by 2-0 with Falul Hallaj and Pasindu Charaka scoring a goal each before beating the defending champions Old Bens 2-0 with Tanweer Hallaj sounding the board twice. 

In the semifinal, RCHC outclassed the Malays team - which played with some top-class hockey players contracted from Matale - by 3-0. Falul Hallaj, Tanweer Hallaj and Charaka scored a goal each for the team comprising only players produced by Royal College.  In the final they met the Old Anandians, who beat CH & FC 'B' 3-1 the semifinal on penalties following a 0-0 draw. 

When the first half of the final, which was dominated by RCHC, ended 0-0, the organisers were forced to declare both finalists joint champions after the Old Anandians complained of bad weather.

The team was led by Lasitha Manchinayaka (John Keells Holdings) with Shahid Kuthubdeen (MAS Holdings), a junior national player, serving as his deputy. RCHC became runners-up in the CHA knockout tournament held earlier this year.