BY SANDHYA DISSANAYAKE, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
The “Unity Through Football” Academy lifted the prestigious Copa Simha Under-12 Football Trophy, organized by Lanka Sports Rising (LSR), an initiative led by Mr. Thilak Weerasinghe with the vision of building a strong sports-based economy in Sri Lanka.
LSR, which has previously organized internationally recognized events such as the Colombo Marathon, Tea Cup Cycling, Rumble in the Jungle Mountain Bike Race, and Wind Surfing competitions, introduced football to its growing portfolio of sports events for the first time through this tournament.
The Copa Simha Under-12 Football Championship was held in grand style at the D. S. Senanayake College Grounds.
Tournament Highlights:
- The final was graced by Mr. Selvakumar Paneer Selvam, Managing Director of Singapore’s Singa Cup organization.
- In a thrilling final, Unity Through Football Academy defeated Renown Football Academy 3–2 to claim the title
- A total of 14 teams participated, divided into four groups.
Group Stage Highlights:
- Manchester United Academy team went unbeaten in Group A
- Wesley College B team went unbeaten in Group B
- However, both unbeaten teams were eliminated in the quarter-finals, highlighting the competitiveness of the tournament
Third Place Match:
- Gateway SC secured 3rd place with a narrow 1–0 victory over Football Lab Academy.
A successful debut football tournament that showcased young talent and strong competition across Sri Lanka 🇱🇰
CopaSimba #YouthFootball #SriLankaFootball #UnityThroughFootball #LSR #Under12Football #ColomboSports #GrassrootsFootball #FutureStars #FootballDevelopment