Sri Lanka registered a historic and emphatic victory over Cambodia in the 2nd leg of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers playoffs, securing the win through a penalty shootout
Sri Lankan manager Abdullah Almutairi made a surprising change to the starting XI, bringing in the experienced Waseem Razeek, with Sam Durrant losing his spot in the lineup. The decision caught many off guard, as Durrant had been the standout player for the Golden Army in the 1st leg in Colombo.
The game began evenly poised with both the teams looking a bit rusty. As halftime approached, the Golden Army broke the deadlock with a brilliant strike from Oliver Kelaart, who found the back of the net in the 37th minute giving Sri Lanka the lead heading into the break.
The home team, having made a couple of changes came out strong in the second half and immediately took control. Their dominant display paid off when Cambodian winger Sosidan Nhean showcasing individual brilliance equalized in the 50th minute.
As the clock was ticking the game extended into extra time. Just eight minutes into extra time Cambodia capitalized on a corner kick taking advantage of some sloppy defending by the Sri Lankan backline to find the net. Sri Lanka, desperately searching for a response, waited until the final moments of extra time when Claudio Mathias scored one of the most important goals in the nation’s history, sending the game to a penalty shootout.
Sri Lankan skipper and goalkeeper showcased heroics, saving Cambodia’s first two penalty attempts and putting Sri Lanka firmly in the driver’s seat. Jack Hingert, Oliver Kelaart, Sam Durrant, and Leon Perera all converted their penalties, securing a memorable victory for Sri Lanka.
>>Abdulla Almutairi to manage Sri Lanka in the forthcoming AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers against Cambodia
There was also a special moment as teenage sensation Tenuka Ranaweera made his senior debut, coming on during extra time. The Sri Lankan team showed notable improvement over the two legs, demonstrating resilience and a constant eagerness to press forward.
With this victory, Sri Lanka secures a place in the 2025 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, where they will compete in six home and away fixtures.
