FSL rewards SL team for win against Bhutan in FIFA series

Sri Lanka National Football team with the team officials after winning their game against Bhutan by 2-0 at the FIFA Friendly series earlier this week in Colombo 

By Althaf Nawaz

Football Sri Lanka (FSL) rewarded each player Rs. 400,000 after their victory against Bhutan earlier this week in the FIFA Friendly series concluded last Monday at Race Course Stadium.

The FSL Executive Committee headed by incumbent President Jaswar Umar decided to give this cash reward to the 23 players in the squad as a token of appreciation for their excellent performance in the series. The Lankan soccerites drew nil-all against Papua New Guinea in the curtain raiser, while overcoming 180 ranked Bhutan 2-0. This win in an international game came after a decade.

Jaswar with the assistance of his Senior Vice President Dr. Manil Fernando and Ranjith Rodrigo made a valiant effort in drafting the 14 overseas based players who donned the National jersey based on their parents being born in Sri Lanka. 

Young talented players playing in various leagues around the world were invited to attend a residential camp in Doha Qatar a few years back along with local players to share their experience with them. This opened up a new chapter in Sri Lankan Football after several years of turbulence, including a suspension by FIFA.

The present regime which got elected to office last September, has put in a lot of effort to restructure the domestic football calendar which is to be executed at the beginning of May.

The National team will play another eight matches in various windows - home and away basis - targeting the Asia Cup to be staged next year, and likely to be hosted by Sri Lanka. 

Jaswar Umar who was instrumental in gaining this FIFA series for Sri Lanka was jubilant about his team’s performance and said that this series will be held once in two years, for which FIFA has granted the green light.  “As an association we are jubilant to see our team winning a game – and against Bhutan – after over a decade. Me and my team worked tirelessly to induct these 14 players and saw positive results. This will open up a new chapter in Lankan Football and we will make all endeavours to play matches and climb up the rankings. We offered a cash reward to the 23 players and look forward to continuing the national team targeting next year’s Asian Cup.”

“We are thankful for the crowd which gathered and supported our boys in numbers and look forward to the same in the future to bring up the ‘people’s game’ to great heights. We have drafted several plans to restart football in the country - both male and female segments,” said Jaswar Umar.