Sri Lanka face off Bhutan in FIFA Series game today
After a strong beginning to the year, with Sri Lanka concluding their initial international friendly match against Papua New Guinea in a goalless draw, the hosts of the Sri Lanka segment of FIFA Series 2024 will face Bhutan tomorrow at the Racecourse ground in Colombo.
The match in Colombo saw Central African Republic (CAR) face off against Bhutan at 3.00 p.m. on Friday. In a dominant display, the 129th ranked CAR team secured a resounding 6-0 victory over the 194th ranked South Asian side. After taking a 1-0 lead at halftime courtesy of a 16th-minute strike by Tresor Toropite, CAR continued their onslaught with goals from Venuste Baboula (48th minute, 90+), Kari Namnganda (49th, 64th), and Hamissou Dangabo (56th). Their next challenge awaits against Papua New Guinea, currently ranked 165th in the world.
However, the most notable aspect was the comprehensive performance by the Sri Lankan team led by Sujan Perera, as they completely outclassed Papua New Guinea in their first match on Friday evening. Experts praised the way the Sri Lankan team controlled the game, indicating a promising future for the team currently ranked 204th in South Asia.
With hopes soaring after their impressive display on Friday, Sri Lanka will face regional rivals Bhutan with great confidence, who are considered more advanced than the islanders. The match is scheduled to start at 8.45 p.m. tomorrow at the Racecourse ground. The Sri Lankan captain mentioned that the FIFA Series 2024 could serve as a stepping stone towards a better future.
“This is an opportunity we consider as the ideal platform to gel as a team and identify our own capabilities, as individual players. Eventually we represent the country, and what matters is the unity of the team, which is the core and strength to any football playing nation. We are a confident bunch, and I’m sure we will be able to pull off a win,” stated skipper Perera on Thursday, ahead of Sri Lanka’s opening game.
Perera and his team have demonstrated that despite their low global ranking, Sri Lanka is a formidable force. The recent draws, 0-0 against Papua New Guinea and 1-1 against Yemen (ranked 151 worldwide) in Colombo, have instilled renewed optimism. Although their match on October 12, 2023, against Yemen in Abha, Saudi Arabia, resulted in a 0-3 loss, the leadership of former Manchester City defender Andy Morrison has propelled Sri Lanka forward.
“It’s all about mid and long term processes, where we have planned ahead to develop the national team, as well as the players involved. For a team that is playing an international game after six months, we can expect anything to happen, but the boys are knitting in well, which is a positive sign,” Morrison stated on Thursday.
Sri Lanka is hosting one of the six competitions in the ongoing FIFA Series 2024 in Colombo. Additionally, friendly international competitions are happening in Algiers and Annaba of Algeria, Baku of Azerbaijan, Cairo and New Administrative Capital of Egypt, and Jeddah of Saudi Arabia, where two series are running concurrently.
The FIFA Series 2024 is the first edition of this tournament, organised by FIFA. It involves friendly matches between national teams from different continental confederations. This inaugural edition includes five series held in five host countries from March 21 to 26.
Initially named FIFA World Series, this friendly competition was announced as a FIFA initiative in December 2022. FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed it on March 16, 2023, following his re-election during the 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda. The competition will bring together men's national teams from six confederations for a series of friendly tournaments held during the FIFA match window in March of every even-numbered year.