Winning teams for World Cup in China
Under-12 Boys champions - Wikramabahu Central, Gampola
The Milo Champions Cup, from which eight young talented football players of the Under-12 age category will be selected to represent the Milo Sri Lanka football team at the Milo Champions Football World Cup in China, got underway in Sri Lanka as a provincial based competition.
The winning teams of Central, North Central and Southern provinces were identified after two-day competitions held at three different venues. Wickramabahu Central, Gampola and St. Joseph’s Girls School Kegalle emerged Boys and Girls champions respectively in the Central Province compeition, that was held in Wigulawatta ground in Gampola. Wickramabahu Central beat Zahira College Gampola in the final of the Boys competition as Zahira College Matale finished at third after beating Westwood College, Katugastota. In the Girls category, St. Joseph’s GS beat Pushpadana Girls’ School, Ambatenna as Uda Dumbara Maha Vidyalaya became overall third after beating Devi Balika MV, Gampola.
St. Joseph’s MV, Anuradhapura and Bandiwewa MV, Polonnaruwa won the Boys and Girls championships respectively at the North Central Province competitions held at the Anuradhapura Prison ground. St. Joseph’s MV beat Bandiwewa MV in the Boys final as Wivekananda MV, Anuradhapura claimed the overall third position after beating Zahira Muslim MV. In the Girls competition, Bandiwewa MV beat Vilayaya MV to clinch the title as Kadawala Wewa MV, Polonnaruwa beat Swarnapali Girls NS to become the overall third.
Under-12 Girls champions - Badiwewa MV, Polonnaruwa
Gintota MV, Galle and C.W.W. Kannangara MV, Galle won the Boys and Girls championships of the Southern Province competitions held at the Makurugoda football ground in Baddegama. Gintota MV beat Olcott College in the final while Zahira College Gintota beat All Saints College to claim the overall third position. In the Girls competition, C.W.W. Kannangara MV beat Gintota MV in the final to become champions, while Olcott College beat Gandara MV to win the overall third position.
The Milo Champions Cup kicked off in Sri Lanka with an All-Island Under-12 Football Tournament, executed by the Sri Lanka Schools’ Football Association under the patronage of the Ministry of Education. The tournament, open to boys and girls born in 2008 and 2009, saw 265 girls teams and 822 boys teams confirming participation in the tournament, bringing the total number of participants to 13,044 children. Based on the skills and values demonstrated at the tournament, the best children will be shortlisted to attend a selection camp, where an expert panel of coaches will select the most deserving eight players to represent the Milo Sri Lanka Football team.
Eight young talented Sri Lankan football players stand the chance to win an opportunity of a lifetime, to compete in the first ever Milo Champions Football World Cup which will be held in China. Milo hopes to achieve this massive feat by once again teaming up with the FC Barcelona.
The selected eight players will represent Sri Lanka in the Milo Champions Cup in China to compete with countries across the world such as Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Pakistan, Colombia, Chille, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago. A playing side in the tournament will comprise of eight players, in a series of 5-a-side matches with a minimum of a female player on each team with each match lasting for two halves of 10 minutes. The football event will go for nine days, which will also include a coaching camp run by FC Barcelona – the Barca Academy.
Under-12 Girls champions - C.W.W Kannangara MV, Galle
Under-12 Boys champions - St. Joseph's College, Anuradhapura