Sri Lanka lose both matches to UAE

Yasaratne Gamage

Sri Lankan under 23 national football team’s 2012 Summer Olympic dream faded away when they lost to UAE on March 8 and 11 in the 2012 AFC Men’s Pre-Olympic Tournament held in Bani Yas Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE. UAE defeated Sri Lanka in both legs by 7-1 and 3-0.

The 2012 AFC Men’s Pre-Olympic Tournament preliminary round is being held in UAE with the participation of 22 countries.

The UAE with great hopes for 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London have won two matches over Sri Lanka with a record aggregate of 10 goals to one in the tournament.

In the first round UAE found Sri Lankan net seven times, while Sri Lanka managed to score only one goal. UAE had a 4-0 lead in the first half with goals comming at regular intervals. A Khalil of UAE found the net in the seventh minute while R Essa scored two goals in the 15 and 22 minutes of the game.

Sri Lankans scored their first goal in the second half when Mohamed of Sri Lanka managed to penetrate UAE’s goal. Al Kamali shot a penalty kick right in the net in the 63rd minute after two minutes and Ali Mabkhout added another one in the 66th minute.

Sri Lanka faced UAE at Baniyas Stadium in the second leg match. Sri Lanka had another 3-0 defeat at the hands of UAE. R Essa 19’, A Khalil 27’ and in 41 minutes secured a spot in the second round for UAE which takes place at AFC House, Kuala Lumpur on March 30.

Sri Lanka vs UAE first match:

United Arab Emirates 7 (A Khalil 7’, R Essa 15’ – 22’, Al Kamali 38’ (pen), Ali 63’, Ali Mabkhout 66’).

Sri Lanka 1 (Mohamed 61’).

Second match:

Sri Lanka 0, United Arab Emirates 3 at the same venue. (R Essa 19’), A Khalil 27’ – 41’).

Results in the first and second legs:

Thailand 1-1 (6-5 p), Palestine 1-0, 0-1, Jordan 3-0, Chinese Taipei 1-0, 2-0, Kuwait 5-0, Bangladesh 2-0, 3-0, Malaysia 2-0, Pakistan 2-0, 0-0, United Arab Emirates 10-1, Sri Lanka 7-1, 3-0, India 3-2, Myanmar 2-1, 1-1, Oman 7-2, Tajikistan 4-1, 3-1, Indonesia 1-4, Turkmenistan 1-3, 0-1, Iran 1-0, Kyrgyzstan 1-0, 0-0, Hong Kong 7-0, Maldives 4-0, 3-0.