Kotmale takes the U19 Schools Football Championship to Jaffna
Kotmale is the principle sponsor for the under 19 Schools Football Championship conducted by Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL). This is the end of the third edition of the tournament and the semifinals and the finals will be played in Jaffna Durayappah Stadium on 3rd and 5th of November. Zahira College won the first edition and St Henry’s College won the second, and are the current defending champions.
The four semifinalists are Zahira College, St Patrick’s College, St Henry’s College and St Joseph Vaz College. St Patricks College will take on St Joseph Vaz College in one semi final and St Henrys College will take on Zahira College in the other where Zahira College will look to avenge their loss to St Henry’s College in the final of this tournament last year.
These are the last 4 teams left from a total of 28 of Sri Lanka’s finest school football teams. The quarter finals saw Maris Stella, Hammed Al-Hussein, De Mazenod and Holy Cross get eliminated which are teams that are not accustomed to losing which demonstrates the calibre of this tournament. The semi-finals and the final will be held in Jaffna for the first time ever. The matches will be played at Durayappah Stadium in the first week of November.
This tournament is about more than winning the trophy, it serves as a stage for which young footballers can showcase their skill and mentality and show their class in the attempt to break into the National team. The tournament is beneficial to both players and the country as it gives the players their start to a professional career and it helps Sri Lanka find the next generation of football players to play for their country.
