A spirited Team Sri Lanka put on a fascinating game of football in the fourth group stage game against a strong Nepal side in the 5th Asian Communities Football Tournament group on 31/03/2017. Both teams came into the game unbeaten and had golden opportunities in both halves, but neither were able to capitalise those chances. However, during the first fifteen minutes of the game Sri Lankan territory was completely stormed by Nepal and a free kick in the 15th minute close to the penalty box ended at the back of the Lankan net, but unfortunately for Nepal it was judged offside.
In the second half both teams attacked each other aggressively but repeatedly missed several goal scoring opportunities. Sri Lanka defenders Asela Karunarthna, Tuan Haleemdeen, Rusni Athambawa and Ziyaul Arshard were strong enough to hold Nepal’s hasty strikers while skipper Manoj Siriwardana alongside former Renown striker Izzathul Anam, Mohamed Ihsanullah, and Mohamed Naseef controlled the game in midfield. 
Mohamed Fayas and Mohamed Rizwan did the job for Sri Lanka from the front. Mohamed Mulaffer’s goalkeeping was brilliant throughout the game but unfortunately Mohamed Haleemdeen was sent off by the referee in the 55th Minute for his aggressive words against the Nepal skipper. Nevertheless, the ten man Sri Lanka team was good enough to hold on till the final whistle as the match ended nil all, earning Sri Lanka a deserved point.
So far both teams have played four matches with one match to go in the league. Sri Lanka top the table with goal difference though both teams have got equal points. In the opening game Sri Lanka beat Philipines 4-0 and in the subsequent games won against Japan 9-1 and Singapore 3-0. The group champions will take on the 4th placed team in the group “A” in the quarter finals and it is likely that Sri Lanka will meet Indonesia in the knockout stage game. The Sri Lanka team is coached by former Zambian national football player Pa Malang Ndow and assisted by Faris Bin Thair, Mohammed Hannifa while the team is managed by Dilshan Waheed. The full match was telecast live via Sri Lanka’s No.01 sports hub www.ThePapare.com football page and fans across the globe enjoyed the game.
Sri Lanka squad :- Mohamed Fayas, Mohamed Ihsanullah, Mohamed Rizwan, Izzathul Anam, Manoj Siriwardana (VC), Rusni Athambawa, Mohamed Nassef, Mohamed Rikas, Thuwan Haleemdeen, Ziyaul Arshard, Asela Karunarathna, Mohamed Yasmeer, Mohamed Mulaffer, Mohamed Ijaz (C), Mohamed Ishrrath, Ahmed Hassan, Mohamed Salman, Mohamed Shiyam and Farshath Jiffry.
