Sri Lanka face Uzbekistan in AFC Asian Cup today

By Susil Premalal

The AFC Asia Cup 2023 qualification third round Group C football match between Sri Lanka and hosts Uzbekistan will take place today.   
Four nations are in Group C of this tournament being held from June 8 to 14 at the Markez Stadium in Uzbekistan. Thailand and Maldives are the other two teams in this group.   
Sri Lanka will meet Thailand on June 11 and Maldives on June 14.   

According to the 2022 FIFA world rankings Uzbekistan are ranked 83rd, Thailand (111), Maldives (156) and Sri Lanka (205).   

A 33-member Sri Lanka squad had a ten-day training camp in Doha, Qatar in preparation for this tournament. The national squad has been pruned to 23 before they arrived in Uzbekistan, according to Football Sri Lanka (FSL) President Umar Jaswar.   

FSL has promised a bonus of Rs two lakhs to each player if the Sri Lanka team manages to win or draw a match. 

Squad:

Sujan Perera (Captain), Mohamed Fazal, Chalana Chameera, Charitha Rathnayake, Harsha Fernando, Asikur Rahuman, Ruwan Arunasiri,
Jude Suman, Chathuranga Madushan, Mohamed Aakib, Chamod Dilshan, Dillon De Silva, Mohamed Shifan, Kaveesh Fernando, Mariyathas Nitharshan, Abdul Basit, Afeel Mohamed, Shabeer Razooniya, Sasanga Dilhara, Aman Faizer, Shehal Sandesh, Sebastianpillai Jesuthasan and Tharmakulanathan Kajakopan