Sri Lanka Men’s and Women’s Football teams has had good preparation in the lead-up to the South Asian Games 2016 and are now eyeing a medal to bring back home.
Men’s Football
The Sri Lanka U23 Men’s Football squad for the South Asian Games is oozing with confidence and experience as almost all of the players were in the National Squad which participated in the SAFF Suzuki Cup 2015 and the Bangabadhu Gold Cup in January.
Renown SC striker Mohamed Rifnaz, who is in excellent form, will captain the side. Sri Lanka have included Dumindu Hettiarachchi, Chathuranga Sanjeewa and Nipuna Bandara as the three over-aged players allowed by the rules.
The squad also includes three exciting Sri Lanka U19 caps in Afam Akram, Suntharaj Niresh and Mohamed Shaheel.
Since the SAFF Suzuki Cup the Sri Lanka team has been improving after being criticized for being too defensive. The team trained in Nuwara-Eliya to get accustomed to the cooler conditions in Northern India.
Few new faces were included into the squad with the most notable being Rizkhan Faizer who is returning after injury while his former Java Lane teammate Zarwan Johar misses out on the squad.
Men’s Squad
Mohamed Rifnaz ©- Prabath Ruwan – Asikur Rahuman – Danushka Rajapakse – Nipuna Bandara – Mohamed Afam – Suntharaj Niresh – Mohamed Shaheel – Dumidu Hettiarachchi – Chalana Chameera – Pradeep Rodrigo – Chathuranga Sanjeewa – Mohamed Rizkhan – Mohamed Nuskan – Kaveesh Fernando – Mariyadas Nidarshan – Sajith Kumara – Sunil Roshan – Madushan De Silva – Chathuranga Madushan
Sampath Perera (Head Coach) – Dudley Steinwall (Assistant Coach) – Mahinda Galagedera (Goalkeeper Coach) – S.N.P.K.Silva (Physiotherapist) – Mohamed Rameez (Manager)
Women’s Football
Sri Lanka Women’s Football too had good preparation leading up to the South Asian Games with a tour to Singapore in January and a friendly against the Maldives Women’s National Team when they arrived in Sri Lanka late last year.
Sri Lanka won the match against Maldives 3-0 and in Singapore they defeated the Singapore U19 side 3-1 and the National Women’s side 1-0.
Coach Mohamed Jusmin is happy with the performance of the girls and is confident of them doing well in India.
The squad also boasts of two players namely; Poornima Sandamali and Sakura Sewwandi who were selected for a training camp at Manchester United.
Women’s Squad
Kumuduni Nilukshika © – Erandi Liyanage (vc) – Praveen Madhuki – Maleesha Nilini – Hasara Dilrangi – Ayumi Shanika – Sakura Sewwandi – Sumudu Sumali – Ishanka Yohani – Nalika Karunarathne – Chalani Ekanayake – Achala Chithrani – Poornima Sandamali – Achala Sanjeewani – Sewwandi Manawadu – Daniel Leelanthi – Thilini Jayasinghe – Rushani Gunawardena – Chamantha Francis – Imesha Vithanage
Mohamed Jusmin (Head Coach) – Deepani Samarasinghe (Assistant Coach) – Priyantha Edirisinghe (Goalkeeper Coach) – M.A.Barsith (Physiotherapist)
