DILI, 26 february 2022 (TATOLI) – The Secretary of State for Youth and Sport (SEJD), Abrão Saldanha, on behalf of the Government of Timor-Leste congratulated Timor-Leste’s National under-23 football team for successfully representing the nation to compete at the AFF U-23 Championship 2022, in Cambodia.
After Timor-Leste stunned hosts Cambodia in a shock 1-0 victory at the eighth round, Timor-Leste booked its place in the AFF U23 Championship 2022 semi-finals to face the Vietnam national team. However, Timor-Leste lost to Vietnam 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out at Cambodia’s Phnom Penh.
Despite failing to reach the final match, Timor-Leste’s U-23 National team is highly regarded as the most successful team to reach the semi-final in any ASEAN cup since the nation got its independence in 2002.
Timor-Leste is scheduled to play in another match to compete for third place of the AFF U-23 Championship 2022.
“With the leadership of the current Timor-Leste’s Football Federation (FFTL), led by FFTL’s current president, Francisco Jerónimo, FFTL has been working closely with the Government of Timor-Leste to develop Timor-Leste’s national team, particularly the U-23 national team to compete at the AFF U-23 Championship 2022 in Cambodia. With the success of the U-23 national team at the AFF U-23 Championship Cup, we have seen significant progress made in Timor-Leste’s football,” Saldanha made the comments in his opening remarks at the FFTL’s 7th National Congress, at the Novo Turismo hotel, in Dili, on saturday.
“We have seen significant progress made by the leadership of the current FFTL’s President. You know, reaching a semi-final match, which we lost to Vietnam’s national team in a penalty shoot-out was a huge success for a small nation like Timor-Leste. It showed a big success we have so far made in Timor-Leste’s football,” Saldanha said.
SEJD called on the newly elected leader of FFTL to cooperate with the government to better develop Timor-Leste’s football in the future: “I want the new leader of FFTL to not mix politics and sport together.”
The three candidates to compete for the new leader of FFTL, including Francisco Jerónimo, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay and Nilton Gusmão.
The congress was also attended by 19 Timor-Leste’s Football Associations, including the football associations from the 12 municipalities and RAEOA, Timor-Leste’s Referee Association, Timor-Leste’s Youth Football Association, Timor-Leste’s Football League First and Second Division, Timor-Leste’s Futsal Association, and Timor-Leste’s Women’s Football Association.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Rafy Belo
