Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Fujairah City: The UAE made a confident start in their quest to reach the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship in neighbouring Qatar as the Group D hosts defeated Sri Lanka 4-0 on Friday.
Khalfan Mubarak Al Shamsi struck with quarter-of-an-hour at Kalba Stadium played before Yousif Saeed successfully converted a 30th minute penalty to give the UAE a two-goal cushion at the interval.
That lead was extended seven minutes after the restart courtesy of midfielder Ahmed Rabia Gheilani before Sri Lanka’s disappointing Group D opener when defender Sunil Roshan put the ball in his own net to gift the UAE their fourth goal in the 64th minute to round off the scoring.
Ten group winners and five best second-placed teams from all groups will join hosts Qatar at the AFC U-23 Championship 2016, with January’s 16-team competition also serving as Asia’s qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games in Rio.