Ratnam SC for AFC President's Cup
Bernard Perera
SOCCER: Ratnam Sports Club from Kotahena which won a double
for the year 2006 ('Kit Premier League and Kit Champion of Champions
Trophy) will represent Sri Lanka at the AFC President's Cup championship
which is scheduled to be held in Lahore, Pakistan from May 17 to 27.
Ratnam SC will leave the shores on May 15. The team is led by Rawmy
Mohideen who led his side to win the most prestigious trophies last
year. The tour party for the Pakistan tour comprise of twenty one
players and seven officials.
This competition will be of vital importance for the Sri Lanka
Football Federation as many of the players in the national pool are
involved with the Ratnam team. Their Performance here will definitely
give the Lankan selectors a chance to have a good look at their
selections.
The combination of Kasun Jayasuriya, Chathura Maduranga, E.B. Channa
and the skipper, Rawmy Mihideen is one of the best among the Clubs in
Sri Lanka.
Kasun Jayasuriya who was named as the Best Footballer of the year for
2006 with a goal tally of 31 will get the opportunity to prove his worth
as the best striker. He will have to come up with a classy performance
to lift Ratnam SC to reach the final.
He needs the co-operation from others who have combined well during
the local tournaments in Sri Lanka which helped him to score well to be
the hero for Ratnam SC.
This tourney also is of immense importance to players in the national
pool as it could give them foreign exposure.
The participating eight teams are grouped in to two groups A and B.
Ratnam SC is included in group A along with Transport United SC from
Bhutan, Regar Tadaz from Kyrgistan and Pakistan the host country's Army
team. The group B consist of Khemara SC from Cambodia, Mahendra Police
from Nepal, Tatung SC from Chinese Taipei and Dordoi Dynamo
FromTajikistan.
The winners and runners up of each group will qualify to play the
semi finals scheduled for May 24 and 25 while the final will be played
on May 27 under lights in Punjab stadium in Lahore. The other venue
allocated for group matches is the WAPDA stadium also in Lahore.
The first AFC President's Cup Football Championship was introduced in
2005 in Nepal. This Championship was won by Regar-Tadaz in 2005 and last
year Dordoi Dynamo SC carried away the trophy.
Last year's champions Regar-Tadaz SC is sure to go flat out to retain
the trophy which they won last time, while Dordoi Dynamo SC the winners
of the first tourney and who missed the second edition of the tourney
last year will make an effort to regain the trophy from Regar-Tadaz.
Ratnam SC will have a torrid time in penetrating the defence of
Regar-Tadaz SC which is a very tough side specially with their physical
advantage. Meanwhile the host country's Army team too will be a
challenge for our team as they have the advantage playing on their home
soil.
Sri Lanka is billed to play their first game on the opening day
against Pakistan Army outfit on Punjab stadium in Lahore under lights.
The AFC President's Cup is the third club competition created by AFC,
following the top-rung AFC Champions League, dedicated to clubs from
mature countries, and the AFC Cup aimed at clubs from developing
countries.
Last time Regar-Tadaz SC won the inaugural edition in Nepal in 2005
after beating Dordoi-Dynamo SC while the latter clinched the crown in
2006 in Malaysia by defeating Vakhsh SC.
This year' tournament will see Regar-Tadaz return to the eight-club
event after a year s gap.
Ratnam Sports Club team for the tour: Mohamed Rawmy Mohideen,
(Captain), A.A.Fazlur Rahman, M.N.M. Izzadeen, Nadeeka Pushpakumara,
Kasun N. Jayasuriya, Chathura Maduranga Weerasinghe, Tharusha Rangana,
Dhammika Senarath, E.B. Channa, Camilus Francis, R.S. Rizwan, J.R.
Pradeep, J. Harisdeen, E.W. Sisira, Dilan Dhanushka, B.G.Shiwanka, M.H.M.
Ismirly, J. Shehan Silveira, Dudley L.Steinwal, F. Mohamed Fawzan and S.
Pradeep Kumara. Officials:
M.M. Rameez, B.S.M. Zaharan, P.M.M. Mufshid, M.N. Packeer Ali, M.I.
Shabur Mohideen, M.A. Nizar and A.S Rifaz Ahamed |
