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Sri Lanka will meet Thailand this afternoon in a decisive Group D clash of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 (Saudi Arabia) Qualifiers – Third Round, with kickoff scheduled for 3.45 pm at the Racecourse Ground, Colombo.
The Sri Lankan camp was hit with a major setback on the eve of the match, as regular captain and first-choice goalkeeper Sujan Perera was ruled out due to a sudden illness. In response, the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) appointed Claudio Matthias, a 26-year-old Sri Lanka–German dual citizen, as the acting captain.
With Perera sidelined, Kavisha Fernando will take over goalkeeping duties for today’s critical encounter.
Speaking at the pre-match press briefing in Colombo, head coach Abdullah Almutairi highlighted the high stakes of the match.
“To progress further in this qualifying phase, victory is vital for both Sri Lanka and Thailand. Both sides are under pressure,” he stated.
According to the latest FIFA World Rankings, Thailand sit nearly 100 places above Sri Lanka, positioning them as clear favourites on paper. However, Almutairi expressed confidence in Sri Lanka’s recent improvement, noting that the team has developed into a competitive and fast-rising unit capable of challenging stronger opposition.
Sri Lanka Aim for Historic First Win
Sri Lanka has faced Thailand eight times in international football, losing every encounter. Today’s match offers another chance to end that winless streak and make national football history.
Group D features Turkmenistan, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, and Sri Lanka.
So far, Sri Lanka have played four matches, securing two wins and suffering two defeats.
Sri Lanka’s Results So Far
Beat Chinese Taipei 3–1 (first leg)
Beat Turkmenistan 1–0 (first leg)
Lost to Thailand 1–0 (first leg)
Lost to Turkmenistan 2–1 (second leg)
With the qualification battle intensifying, today’s match could play a decisive role in shaping Sri Lanka’s hopes of advancing to the AFC Asian Cup 2027.
