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Sri Lanka welcomes FIFA ruling Macau out of WCup qualifying

Sri Lanka welcomes FIFA ruling Macau out of WCup qualifying | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - In this April 21, 2019 file photo, Sri Lankan Army soldiers secure the area around St. Anthony's Shrine after a blast in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's attorney general advised the acting police chief on Monday, June 24, 2019, to launch a criminal investigation of the former defense secretary over "major lapses" that contributed to security failures ahead of Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed more than 250 people. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lankans soccer officials have welcomed a FIFA decision to advance its team to the next round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers after removing Macau for its refusal to travel to Sri Lanka because of security concerns over the recent terror attacks.

Anura de Silva, president of the sport’s governing body in Sri Lanka, said Saturday that they had made all arrangements to host the qualifier before Macau informed them of their decision not to travel to Sri Lanka.

FIFA says its disciplinary panel ruled Macau, which won the first leg in Macau 1-0, must forfeit the second leg 3-0 for failing to play. The Macau federation was also fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,000).

Sri Lanka joins a 40-team lineup in the next stage of World Cup qualifying.

The Easter Sunday bomb attacks in Sri Lanka on April 21 killed more than 250 people.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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