Lankans dribble Myanmar on day one

AFC Challenge Cup Soccer :

Bernard Perera

The Sri Lanka Soccerites will come out for the first time after the South Asian Games with hope of regrouping as a team to contest the AFC Challenge Cup which begins here in Sri Lanka on February 16 at Sugathadasa stadium.

Eight teams who qualified to play in this tourney after their respective group matches are Tajikistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Democratic Peoples Republic Korea, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan.

These eight countries are grouped into two groups ‘A’ and ‘B’. Group ‘A’ consist of Tajikistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, while the Group ‘B’ consists of India, Democratic Peoples Republic Korea, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan.

Tajikistan won the first AFC Challenge Cup in the year 2006 but they could not retain the same the next time as India grabbed it from them in 2008.

It is to seen whether there will appear a new champion ousting the former champs.

With all teams eager to achieve this feat the soccer loving fans in Sri Lanka will be able to a good soccer fare during ten days of competition. On the opening day Tajikistan take on Bangladesh in the first game at 4 p.m. and the next game will kick off at 7 p.m. when Sri Lanka clash with Myanmar.

All matches up to February 19 will be staged at Sugathadasa stadium and two matches on February 20 and 21 between Tajikistan vs Myanmar and Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan are scheduled to be played at the CR & FC ground.

There onwards the semi finals and the final will be played on Feb. 24 and 27 respectively at the stadium. The AFC Challenge Cup Tourney is a competition set for the Senior National teams of AFC Member Association considered as Emerging Countries in the Asian Region.

The countries participated in the qualifying round are India, Tajikistan, DPR Korea, Myanmar, Turkmenistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Philippines. Pakistan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh, Macau, Bhutan, Brunei and Guam.

These eighteen countries competed in four groups before the AFC Challenge Cup competition during in the year 2009. Myanmar with the maximum points 9 from three games led the Group ‘A’ while in group ‘B’ it was Turkmenistan that made their way to the the final in Sri Lanka topping their group.

Kyrgyzstan from group ‘C’ qualified when they had a better goal aggregate as all three teams in the group had the same number of points and held the top spot.

Sri Lanka playing in group ‘D’ held on to the top spot with a total of 7 points from three games.

They confronted Pakistan, Chinese Taipei and Brunei winning two and drawing one for their seven points. Sri Lanka will come to his final minus some of their leading players who served them to reach this position.

The team led by Rohana Ruwantilleke is a young side blended with talent but lacks experience and can make good use of exposure they got during their tour of Bangladesh for the 11th South Asian Games which concluded few days ago.

The Team under guidance of the Korean coach Jang Jung and the newly appointed local coach Mohamed Amanulla will be under pressure to see the boys do a good job in front of the local fans. The players also have the advantage of playing on home soil and they should take the maximum out of this opportunity to put up an improved performance to make a big challenge to the visitors are expected to go flat out to go back as winners. All visiting teams are expected to arrive by Sunday evening and will be housed at the Galadari Hotel during their stay.

Group A

Tajikistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh

Group B

India, Democratic Peoples Republic Korea, Turkmenistan,

Kyrgyzstan

Match schedule:

Feb. 16 - Tajikistan vs Bangladesh at 4.00 p.m.

Myanmar vs Sri Lanka at 7.0 p.m.

Feb. 17 - India vs Kyrgyzstan at4.0 p.m.

DPR Korea vs Turkmenistan at 7.0 p.m.

Feb.18 - Bangladesh vs Myanmar at 4.00 p.m.

Sri Lanka vs Tajikistan at 7.0 p.m.

Feb. 19 - Kyrgyzstan vs DPR Korea at 4.00 p.m.

Tirkmenistan vs India at 7.0 p.m.

Feb. 20 - Tajikistan vs Myanmar at 4.00 p.m. CR & FC ground

Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh at 7.0 p.m.

Feb. 21 - India vs DPR Korea at 4.00 p.m.

Turkmenistan vs Kyrgyzstan at 5.0 p.m. CR & FC ground

Semi finals

February 24 - at Sugathadasa Stadium

February 27 - at Sugathadasa Stadium – Third Place Play

off match at 3.30 p.m.

final at 7.0 p.m.