Sri Lanka football team to depart for World Cup qualifiers on June 1

By Susil Premalal

The Sri Lanka football team will depart on June 1 for South Korea to take part in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Asian zone second round qualifying tournament. The 23-member national squad is set to be reduced to 18 for the tour in the next few days, but the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) has made a request to the FIFA and AFC to allow 23 players for the tour, subject to COVID-19 regulations, especially if players have to be switched for health reasons, according to FFSL Secretary Jaswar Umar. 

Sri Lanka is scheduled to play North Korea on June 3, Lebanon on June 7 and South Korea on June 11. The Sri Lanka tour party will be conducting PCR tests on eight May 29 or 30 before their departure.

According to unofficial sources, North Korea has withdrawn from the World Cup qualifiers but since FIFA or AFC has not made any official announcement, Sri Lanka is ready to take the field on June 3, Umar said.
Sri Lanka will play all three matches in South Korea’s Goyang stadium. Sri Lanka will be led by Sujan Perera who has plenty of international experience. 

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have lost all five matches in the second round of Group H. In the first round, Sri Lanka lost the first leg to Macau 1-0 but won the return leg 3-0 after Macau forfeited the tie. In the second round, Sri Lanka lost to Turkmenistan 2-0, North Korea 1-0, Lebanon 3-0 and Turkmenistan (second leg) 2-0.

The 23-member squad: 

Goalkeepers: Sujan Perera (Up Country Lions SC), Prabath Ruwan Arunasiri (Blue Eagles SC), R.P. Danushka (New Youngs FC)

Defenders: Harsha Fernando (Blue Eagles SC), A.A.S.R. Appuhamy (Defenders FC), Reef Sebastian Peries (UK), U.D. Chamod Dilshan (Colombo FC), B.M. Charitha Rathnayake (Colombo FC), Y. Duckson Puslas, R.A. Chathuranga Madushan (Up Country Lions SC)

Midfielders: Marvin Hamilton (UK), M. Chalana Chameera (Colombo FC), S. Jude Supan (Renown SC), M.N.M. Musthaq (Up Country Lions SC), M.N. Mohamed Fazal (Blue Star SC), M. Zarwan Johar (Colombo FC)
Forwards: L.H. Kavindu Ishan (Up Country Lions SC), Dillon de Silva (QPR UK), Ahamed Waseem Razeek (Up Country Lions SC), M.S.M. Aakib (Colombo FC), S.D. Wijesinghe (Red Star SC), M.A. Asikoor Rahuman (Defenders FC), M.A.M. Hasmeer (Sea Hawks FC)

Stand by players: M.J. Rifkhan Mohamed (Defenders FC), M. Rizkhan Faizer (Java Lane SC), Mahendran Dinesh (SL Police SC), U.S.T. Danuska (New Youngs FC), Mohamed Shabeer Razooniya (Colombo FC), M.M.P.C. Madushan Fernando (Blue Eagles SC)