Sri Lanka to take part in SAFF Cup tourney
YASARATNE GAMAGE
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Sri Lanka national football team: First RowSeated (Left
to Right) :-Rohana Ruwanthilake (Captain) S.N.P.K.Silva
(Masseur) SPVasantha Wickremasinghe (Manager) Jang Jung (Head
Coach) D.Chandrasiri(Coach) Thushara Sampath (Asst.Coach)
Suranda Bandara.Second RowStanding (Leftto Right) : Nadeeka
Pushpakumara - S.M.Mohamed Nazar - Thejan Fernando Ban-dara
Warakagoda - S.Sajeev K.C.K.Lankesra Dhanushka Wijesiri
Nipuna Bandara M.R.Baranudeen Last RowStanding (Left to Right)
:- Asanka Viraj M.Issadeen Chathu-ra Gunarathne Nagoor
Meera - Sujan Perera - T.R.TRizni - Chameera Krishantha -
M.I.Mohamed Zain - Manjula Fernando.
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The South Asian Football Federation ( SAFF ) Cup will be held at JLN
Stadium, New Delhi, India from December 2 to 11, 2011 with the
participation of eight South Asian Soccer teams including Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka national team captained by W Rohana Ruwanthilaka together
with
19 other players will leave the island on November 30 by Flight No.GW
257 to take part in the 9th edition of the South Asian soccer
tournament.
The SAFF Championship, previously called South Asian Football
Federation Gold Cup is the main competition of the mens national
football cup conducted by Asian Football Federation.
Previous names have included the South Asian Association of Regional
Co-operation Gold Cup in 1993 and South Asian Gold Cup 95 in 1995.
Annually eight teams compete in the Tournament. Gaining popularity of
the event is well evident as the media uses the nick name, WORLD CUP OF
SOUTH ASIA for this mega event.
The countries that compete in the tournaments are Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
 It
is held every two years. India is the reigning champions. India won the
maiden event in 1993 and again in 1997, 1999, 2005 and 2009 to be ahead
of all other seven countries.
Bangladesh and the Maldives has taken the trophy once each while Sri
Lanka won the, then South Asia Gold Cup in 1995 when they beat India by
1-0 in the grand final.
The golden goal through a beautiful header at the extra time by
substitute Sri Lanka mid fielder from Army SC, Sarath off a well floated
ball of the boots of Roshan Perera was the only occasion where Sri Lanka
managed to win the SAFF in 1995. Airman Sampath Perera was the captain
and the team was coached by Brazilian George Pereira while his son
Markos being the trainer.
In 1993 Sri Lanka lost to Pakistan in the finals and satisfied with
the runner up trophy. Sri Lanka became the 4th place in 1997 whereas in,
1999, 2003 and in 2005 could not go beyond the first round.
The team came back to the tournament in 2008 and 2009 where they
entered the semi finals.
The Sri Lanka squad: Manjula Fernando (Blue Star SC, Goalkeeper),
W.S.D. Sujan Perera (Kalutara Park SC, Goalkeeper), Asanka Viraj
(Saunders SC, Goalkeeper), R. N. Bandara Warakagoda (SL Army SC, Defence),
Suranda Bandara (Don Bosco SC, Defence), W. Rohana Ruwanthilake
(Captain) (Saunders SC, Defence), M. Baranudeen (Java Lane SC, Defence),
K. C. K. Lankesara (SL Air Force SC, Defence), Dhanushka Wijesiri (SL
Army SC, Defence), Chameera Krishantha (SL Navy SC, Defence), Nadeeka
Pushpakumara (SL Police SC, Mid Field), Thejan Fernando (Don Bosco SC,
Mid Field), Chathura Gunarathne (Renown SC, Mid Field), S. M. M. Nazar
(SL Air Force SC, Mid Field), Tuwan Rizni (Renown SC, Mid Field), M. N.
M. Issadeen (SL Army SC, Mid Field), S. Sanjeeu (SL Air Force SC,
Forward), Nagoor Meera (Java Lane SC, Forward), M. I. Mohamed Zain
(Renown SC, Forward), Nipuna Bandara (Don Bosco SC, Forward).
Team Officials:
Vasantha Wickremasinghe (SP Manager), Jang Gung (Head Coach), D.
Chandrasiri (Coach), U. L. Thushara Sampath (Asst. Coach), S.N. P.
Kumara Silva (Masseur). |
