Sri Lanka completed a successful two match international football tour of Seychelles with a 2-0 victory at Stade Linité in Victoria, sealing a clean sweep of the series and continuing their encouraging build up towards upcoming regional competition.
Goals from Dillon De Silva and Waseem Razeek secured the victory on September 30 as Sri Lanka followed up their convincing 3-0 triumph in the opening encounter three days earlier.
Across the two FIFA international friendlies, Sri Lanka scored five goals without conceding, completing the series with a 5-0 aggregate advantage.
The result represented another positive step for Abdullah Al Mutairi’s side as Sri Lanka continue preparations with a series of international matches designed to improve the squad ahead of the SAFF Championship.
De Silva puts Sri Lanka ahead
Sri Lanka entered the second meeting full of confidence after their dominant performance in the opening match.
The visitors once again established control during the first half, competing effectively in midfield while looking for opportunities to break through the Seychelles defensive line.
Their pressure was rewarded in the 32nd minute.
Dillon De Silva, who had also scored in the first match of the series, found the net to give Sri Lanka a deserved 1-0 advantage.
It was another important contribution from the winger, who has emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s attacking threats during the tour.
Seychelles attempted to respond before half-time but were unable to find a way through an organised Sri Lankan defence.
The visitors consequently went into the interval with their one goal advantage intact.
Defence stands firm after the break
Seychelles increased their attacking efforts during the second half in search of an equaliser.
The hosts attempted to apply more pressure, but Sri Lanka remained disciplined defensively and continued protecting their lead.
Both sides finished with eight attempts at goal and four shots on target, while the possession figures were relatively balanced. Seychelles recorded approximately 55 per cent of possession, but Sri Lanka proved significantly more clinical when opportunities arrived.
That efficiency ultimately made the difference.
Sri Lanka’s defensive organisation also ensured goalkeeper and captain Sujan Perera and the back line completed another clean sheet.
Having prevented Seychelles from scoring in the opening 3-0 victory, Sri Lanka went through the entire two-match series without conceding a goal.
Razeek seals victory late on
With Seychelles pushing forward during the closing stages, Sri Lanka remained dangerous on the counterattack.
The decisive second goal arrived in the 84th minute when experienced midfielder Waseem Razeek found the net.
His strike ended any realistic hopes of a late Seychelles comeback and confirmed a 2-0 victory for the visitors.
Sri Lanka were then able to comfortably manage the final minutes before the full time whistle confirmed another impressive result.
The victory meant Sri Lanka had won both matches at Stade Linité, scoring five times across the two fixtures.
Rajamohan starred in opening encounter
Sri Lanka had already placed themselves in a strong position during the first match on September 27.
Adhavan Rajamohan was the standout performer as Sri Lanka recorded a 3-0 victory over Seychelles.
Rajamohan opened the scoring from the penalty spot during first-half stoppage time before doubling the advantage with an impressive free kick shortly after the restart.
De Silva then added the third goal in the 76th minute to complete the victory.
The result ended Sri Lanka’s long wait for a victory over Seychelles. Their previous win against the island nation had come in 2014, also in Victoria.
Three days later, Sri Lanka demonstrated that the first performance was no isolated result.
The second victory was not as high scoring, but it again highlighted the team’s ability to control important periods of the game, remain organized without the ball and convert decisive chances.
Five goals and two clean sheets
One of the most encouraging aspects of the tour was the balance between attack and defence.
Sri Lanka scored five goals across two matches, with three different players contributing.
Rajamohan finished with two goals, while De Silva scored in both matches and Razeek completed the scoring in the second encounter.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Sri Lanka conceded none.
That combination will provide encouragement to a team attempting to improve its consistency at international level.
Recent Sri Lankan football campaigns have often been decided by narrow margins, making greater attacking efficiency and defensive stability particularly important.
The Seychelles series therefore provided useful evidence of progress.
Part of a bigger SAFF preparation plan
The matches form part of Sri Lanka Football’s broader preparation programme ahead of the SAFF Championship, with the national team targeting stronger performances against South Asian rivals.
Football Federation of Sri Lanka president Jaswar Umar previously described the Seychelles fixtures as an important part of preparing the team for the regional championship.
Sri Lanka are aiming to regain the SAFF title for the first time since their famous triumph in 1995.
Following the Seychelles fixtures, the team was scheduled to continue its international programme with matches against Mauritius, giving the players further competitive experience before the regional tournament.
Those fixtures will provide another test of whether the improvement shown in Seychelles can be maintained against different opposition.
Momentum building for Sri Lankan football
International friendly victories do not guarantee success when major tournaments arrive, but Sri Lanka could hardly have asked for much more from their visit to Seychelles.
Two matches produced two victories.
Five goals were scored.
No goals were conceded.
Several attacking players contributed, while the defensive unit remained disciplined across 180 minutes.
More importantly, Sri Lanka showed the ability to follow one convincing victory with another controlled performance rather than allowing standards to drop.
With tougher challenges still ahead, maintaining that consistency will now be the priority
