Sri Lanka stuns Turkmenistan with historic win

Sri Lankan players react beating Turkmenistan at the Race Course ground in Colombo 

By Susil Premalal

Sri Lanka yesterday recorded a historic 1–0 victory over the higher-ranked Turkmenistan team in their AFC Asia Cup (Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers) – Group ‘D’ first-leg encounter, played at the Race Course Ground, Colombo yesterday.
The victory marked the first-ever occasion in the footballing history of both nations where Sri Lanka defeated Turkmenistan, who currently hold the 138th position in the FIFA World Rankings while Sri Lanka stands at 196th.
With this win, Sri Lanka drew level with Turkmenistan on points in the Group ‘D’ standings, having each secured victories in two matches. The second-leg clash between the two teams is scheduled for October 14 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
During the first half, Sri Lanka displayed a disciplined defence and composed ball control, creating several goal-scoring chances but failing to find the target. The first half ended goalless at 0–0.
In the second half, both sides fought fiercely for dominance. However, Sri Lanka forward Leon Perera receiving a pass from Adhavan Rajamohan broke the deadlock in the 67th minute, slotting home a brilliant goal to give the hosts a 1–0 lead.
Despite several counterattacks by Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka’s defenders held firm, denying multiple scoring opportunities. The victory delighted the Colombo crowd, who witnessed one of Sri Lanka’s finest football performances in recent years.
It also marked Sri Lanka’s second win in the ongoing qualifiers, having earlier defeated Chinese Taipei (3–1), while suffering a narrow 1–0 defeat to Thailand.