SL face Bangladesh in SAFF U-20 today

Sri Lanka will be up against two-time runners-up Bangladesh in their fourth SAFF Under-20 Football Tournament opening match under lights at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar, India today.

The kick-off will be at 8.00 p.m. after the curtain raiser match of the tournament between two-time champions Nepal and the Maldives at 4.00 p.m. The tournament has been revived after a lapse of three years.

Sri Lanka’s second match of this 5-nation tournament will be against Nepal on July 27 at 8.00 p.m. and thereafter, they will meet the defending champions India on July 29 at 4.00 p.m. Sri Lanka will complete their preliminary round matches of this tournament with a fixture against the Maldives on July 31 at 4.00 p.m.

The tournament will be played in a round-robin format and the top two teams at the end of the group stage will face each other in the final on August 5.

The teams:

Sri Lanka (from): Theshan Thushmika (Captain), Mohamed Kalik, Derick Fernando, Mohamed Shuaib, Samunu Kaggodaarachchi, Nikshan Antony, Nimesh Thiwanka, Mohamed Shakeel, Muhammedhu Munsif, Nadeem Ahamed, Mohamed Ihsan, Mohamed Thilham, Firas Zeer, Mohamed Hafeel, Pathum Gimhan, Mohamed Rikaz, Shane Banuka, Madusha Sandeepa, Suthakar Renodkilaiman, Navod Lakshitha, Shahil Shiyan, Gerrad Jerome and Jude Rojan.

Bangladesh (from): Tanvir Hossain (Captain), Md Emon, Md Asif, Shanto Ray, Md Imran, Ashikur Rahman, Shahin Ahammad, Md Rajon, Azizul Hoque, Sirajul Rana, Samuel Raksam, Sojol Tripura, Nazmul Huda, Akkas Ali, Mojibor Rahman, Md Moinul, Shahidul Islam, Md Nahian, Md Mursed, Rafiqul Islam, Sajed Hasan, Piyash Nova and Miraj Islam.