World Cup
qualifying...Sri
Lanka defender
Chamod Dilshan
Sri Lanka
JOHN DUERDEN
or the past five years,
Sri Lanka have, on
average, been Asia’s
lowest-ranked team in
the FIFA rankings,
lying south of 200
for the entire period along with the
likes of San Marino and Somalia. That
The country’s new domestic league and national
team have faced major setbacks over recent years
does not mean there has been
no ambition on this cricket crazy island
- there has been a determination to
grow the game – but things tend to
get in the way.
There was real excitement when
the national team was drawn against
South Korea in the second round
Tough times for
Sri Lankan football
of qualification for the 2022 World Cup.
The first game was in October 2019
when the hosts ran out 8-0 winners to
send over 23,000 fans in Hwaseong,
just south of Seoul, home happy. It was
also an experience that the South Asians
will never forget with Son Heung-min
scoring twice. “They worked hard and
F