Kotmale Under 19 Schools Football Championship Finals kick off at Race Course

The finals of Kotmale Under 19 Schools Football Championship 2015 will get underway at the Race Course grounds in Colombo today, 19 February, where Defending champions Zahira College Colombo will meet St. Henry’s College, Jaffna. 

The first semi-finals was played between Zahira College and St. Sebastian’s College Katuneriya while the second semi-finals was played between St. Henry’s College Jaffna and Holy Cross College Kalutara on Tuesday. The Kotmale Under 19 Schools Football Championship was initiated in 2014 to enhance the competitiveness of the sport across the foremost schools in the country with 20 teams participating in the first year on invitation basis adding further glamour to the championship.

The 2015 workout saw the participation of 24 schools giving young players a tremendous opportunity to develop, perform and excel in football as individuals and teams. Under 19 football is the pathway for national football recognition and the best players get handpicked by champion league clubs, opening the door for a professional football career.

Out of the 24 school teams that too part, eight teams qualified for the quarter finals. The Football Federation of Sri Lanka with the assistance of Kotmale has uplifted the game by hosting all games from the quarter finals to the finals at the Race Course grounds Colombo where the venue is maintained to international standards and the school teams are exposed to playing conditions never experienced before. 

This championship has given an opportunity for schools from many parts of Sri Lanka, and their fans to witness quality football games at their own venue’s and an opportunity to support their teams at home while creating much excitement. Many college teams have shown improvement from the previous year with technical competency indicating a much higher standard for the national arena in the years ahead. 

Cargills (Ceylon) PLC is the Principal Partner of Sri Lanka Football while Kotmale is the exclusive sponsor for the Under 19 Schools Football Championship.