Sri Lanka to host AFC Challenge Cup

Lanka play in Group ‘A’:

Bernard Perera

Sri Lanka will play in group ‘A’ along with Myanmar, Tajikistan and Bangladesh in the third AFC Challenge Cup 2009 which is to be held in Sri Lanka from February 16-27, 2009.

The draw for this championship was held yesterday at the Galadari Hotel in the presence of three AFC officials who arrived in the specially for this event.

The group ‘B’ consist of India, DPR Korea, Turkmenistan and Kyrgystan.

The venues for the matches will be Sugathadasa Stadium and Royal College Sports Complex. The host country Sri Lanka in scheduled to play the first game on February 16, the opposing team for this yet to be decided.

Director National Team Championship AFC from Korea Shin Man Gil conducted the draw on behalf of the AFC.

Speaking on the occasion he said that the eight teams qualified to play in this championship was selected on the rankings based on the qualifying rounds.

He said that DPR Korea is the only team qualified to play in the upcoming World Cup. This is also will be their debut in the World Cup which is to be held in South Africa.

He said that Tajikistan won the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup in the year 2006 and the following held in India was won by the host country itself. In a lighter vain he said that Sri Lanka as hosts could make a bid to win the cup.

He also added that the winner in this tournament will automatically qualify for the AFC Asia Cup due to be held in the year 2011 in Qatar. India takes the top spot in the rankings with their last occasions victory while Tajikistan occupies the second position. Though DPR Korea has qualified for the World Cup they are placed third according to performances of the qualifying rounds in this tourney.

On the overall ranking of the qualifying rounds Sri Lanka is placed seventh position while the eigth slot is Afghanistan.

Sri Lanka has improved gradually in past two decades with many new programs introduced to uplift the game here.

This has brought in good results through the development programs conducted from age groups ranging from U-13 years. Also with these players competing in many local and international tourneys has helped them to improve immensely.

It must be noted at present the Lankan team is competing in the South Asian Football Championship in Bangladesh along with the South Asian countries including the top ranked India.

Their experience gained through this championship will be of vital importance for the forthcoming tournament on local soil.

At present the Lankan team is a mixture of experienced and young talent, they should combine will for next years AFC Challenge Cup in mind.

Director National Team Championship AFC Shin Man Gil (DPR Korea), Venue Manager AFC Gaurav Thapa (Nepal) Director Marketing AFC Satoshi Saito (Japan), were specially flown for the draw which was held yesterday.

High Commissioner for Bangladesh in Sri Lanka Mahbubz Zaman and Director General, Ministry of Sports Development D.B. Dahanayake and Vice President AFC and Chairman Management Committee Manilal Fernando too were present along with FFSL officials.