Sri Lanka will kick start the Group D qualifiers of the AFC U-23 Championship 2016 against United Arab Emirates today (27th) at the Kalba Stadium, UAE.
This is the second edition of the tournament, which has been renamed AFC U-23 Championship 2016 from AFC U-22 Championship in the inaugural edition.
Iraq are the defending champions.
The qualifying competition is divided into two zones – The West Zone comprises West, South, and Central Asia, and the East Zone contains East and Southeast Asia.
There are three groups of five teams and two groups of four teams in the West Zone (total five groups, 23 teams) while the East Zone have five groups of four teams (total five groups, 20 teams).
Ten group winners and five best-second placed teams from all groups (total 15 teams) will qualify for the final competition where hosts Qatar await.
With the average age of the current Sri Lanka National squad being 23, 10 of the National squad will be eligible to play in this tournament. Furthermore the Sri Lanka U21 side which won bronze medal at the 3rd Lusofonia Games earlier in the year was captained by Sri Lanka goalkeeper Sujan Perera, Kavindu Ishan(vice-captain), Zarwan Johar, Mohomed Rifnaz, Hakeem Kamil, Sajith Kumara, Madushan De Silva; all of whom are in the national squad.
The AFC U-23 Championship 2016 will serve as the Olympics qualifiers in every alternate edition. The top three teams from the 2016 edition will represent Asia at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
Reigning AFC U-22 Championship champions Iraq have been drawn into Group A of the qualifiers for the competition’s latest and renamed edition, the AFC U-23 Championship 2016.
27th March UAE v Sri Lanka
29th March Sri Lanka v Yemen
31st March Tajikistan v Sri Lanka
“It will be tough for the players, more so with the conditions. UAE & Yemen are two very good teams but we will fight hard.” Sri Lanka coach Nikola Kavazovic told exclusively to ThePapare.com
“I know about Tajikistan since I was their former head coach. There will be a slight advantage. Also ten from the national side are in this squad so the experience they gained during the last eight months at international level will come in handy.” Kavazovic further added.
The draw held at the AFC House in the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur on Thursday saw the Iraqis grouped along with hosts of the 2013 inaugural edition Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon and the Maldives.
Jordan, who finished third in 2013, were placed in Group B alongside Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, group hosts Pakistan and Turkmenistan, while runners-up Saudi Arabia will battle it out in Group C against host nation Iran, Nepal, Palestine and debutants Afghanistan.
Group D will be a hotbed of action with the UAE, Yemen, Tajikistan and Sri Lanka drawn together, while Group E comprises Syria, Uzbekistan, India and hosts Bangladesh.
In Group F, Australia, Myanmar and Hong Kong will face group hosts Chinese Taipei to fight for a place in the finals, while DPR Korea, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines will be in action in Group G.
The 2013 edition’s fourth-placed side Korea Republic have been pitted against hosts Indonesia, Timor-Leste and debutants Brunei Darussalam in Group H, while Group I sees Japan, hosts Malaysia, Vietnam and Macau vying for supremacy.
China will play hosts to Group J which is completed by Laos, Singapore and first timers Mongolia.
