2018 AFC U-16 Championship

Last updated
2018 AFC U-16 Championship
Kejohanan Remaja B-16 AFC 2018
Tournament details
Host countryMalaysia
Dates20 September – 7 October
Teams16 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)3 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
ChampionsFlag of Japan.svg  Japan (3rd title)
Runners-upFlag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan
Tournament statistics
Matches played31
Goals scored97 (3.13 per match)
Attendance62,582 (2,019 per match)
Top scorer(s) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Noah Botic
Flag of Japan.svg Shoji Toyama
Flag of Malaysia.svg Luqman Hakim
(5 goals each)
Best player(s) Flag of Japan.svg Jun Nishikawa
Fair play awardFlag of Japan.svg  Japan
2016
2020
2023

The 2018 AFC U-16 Championship was the 18th edition of the AFC U-16 Championship, the biennial international youth football championship organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the men's under-16 national teams of Asia. It took place in Malaysia, which was appointed as hosts by the AFC on 25 July 2017, [1] between 20 September and 7 October 2018. [2] A total of 16 teams played in the tournament.

Contents

The top four teams of the tournament qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil as the AFC representatives. Japan won their third title, and qualified together with runners-up Tajikistan and semi-finalists Australia and South Korea. Iraq were the defending champions but were eliminated in the group stage.

Qualification

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Qualified for 2018 AFC U-16 Championship
Failed to qualify
Withdrew
Not an AFC member 2018 U16 AFC Asian Cup qualifying map.png
  Qualified for 2018 AFC U-16 Championship
  Failed to qualify
  Withdrew
  Not an AFC member

Qualifying was played on 16–29 September 2017. [3] Malaysia also participated in the qualifiers, even though they had already qualified automatically as hosts.

Qualified teams

The following 16 teams qualified for the final tournament. [4]

TeamQualified asAppearancePrevious best performance
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia Hosts5thQuarter-finals (2014)
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan Group A winners3rdQuarter-finals (2010)
Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan Group B winners3rdThird place (2006)
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran Group C winners11thChampions (2008)
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Group D winners10thChampions (2016)
Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen Group E winners6thRunners-up (2002)
Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea Group F winners11thChampions (2010, 2014)
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia Group G winners6thFourth place (1990)
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea Group H winners14thChampions (1986, 2002)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Group I winners6thSemi-finals (2010, 2014)
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Group J winners15thChampions (1994, 2006)
Flag of India.svg  India Group D runners-up [note 1] 8thQuarter-finals (2002)
Flag of Oman.svg  Oman Group B runners-up [note 1] 10thChampions (1996, 2000)
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand Group G runners-up [note 1] 11thChampions (1998)
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam Group I runners-up [note 1] 7thFourth place (2000)
Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg  Afghanistan Group C runners-up [note 1] 1stDebut

Notes:

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 As Malaysia (Group J runners-up) had already automatically qualified for the final tournament as hosts, the five best runners-up (excluding Malaysia) qualified for the final tournament.

Venues

The matches were played in three venues around Klang Valley. The venues were Bukit Jalil National Stadium, UM Arena Stadium and Petaling Jaya Stadium. The final match was held at Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

Kuala Lumpur Petaling Jaya
Bukit Jalil National Stadium UM Arena Stadium Petaling Jaya Stadium
Capacity: 87,411Capacity: 1,000Capacity: 25,000
National Stadium Bukit Jalil 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup final.jpg No image available.svg Stadium MBPJ Petaling Jaya Malaysia.jpeg

Draw

The draw of the final tournament was held on 26 April 2018, 15:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur. [5] The 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams. [6] The teams were seeded according to their performance in the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship final tournament and qualification, with the hosts Malaysia automatically seeded and assigned to Position A1 in the draw. [7]

Pot 1Pot 2Pot 3Pot 4
  1. Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia (hosts)
  2. Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq
  3. Flag of Iran.svg  Iran
  4. Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea

Squads

Players born on or after 1 January 2002 were eligible to compete in the tournament. Each team should register a squad of minimum 18 players and maximum 23 players, minimum three of whom must be goalkeepers. [8]

Group stage

The top two teams of each group advanced to the quarter-finals.

Tiebreakers

Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings: [8]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  4. If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
  5. Goal difference in all group matches;
  6. Goals scored in all group matches;
  7. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they met in the last round of the group;
  8. Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
  9. Drawing of lots.

All times are local, MYT (UTC+8).

Schedule
MatchdayDatesMatches
Matchday 120–22 September 20181 v 4, 2 v 3
Matchday 223–25 September 20184 v 2, 3 v 1
Matchday 327–28 September 2018 [note 1] 1 v 2, 3 v 4

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 321072+57 Knockout stage
2Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan 31114734
3Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 31027923 [a]
4Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia (H)31028803 [a]
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Head-to-head result: Thailand 4–2 Malaysia.
Malaysia  Flag of Malaysia.svg6–2Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan
Report
Japan  Flag of Japan.svg5–2Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand
Report
UM Arena Stadium, Kuala Lumpur
Attendance: 86
Referee: Payam Heidari (Iran)

Thailand  Flag of Thailand.svg4–2Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia
Report
Tajikistan  Flag of Tajikistan.svg0–0Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Report

Malaysia  Flag of Malaysia.svg0–2Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Report
Thailand  Flag of Thailand.svg1–2Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan
Report

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea 321063+37 Knockout stage
2Flag of Oman.svg  Oman 31115504
3Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen 310254+13
4Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan 30215942
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Oman  Flag of Oman.svg2–0Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen
Report
North Korea  Flag of North Korea.svg2–2Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan
Report

Jordan  Flag of Jordan.svg2–2Flag of Oman.svg  Oman
Report
Yemen  Flag of Yemen.svg0–1Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea
Report

North Korea  Flag of North Korea.svg3–1Flag of Oman.svg  Oman
Report
Yemen  Flag of Yemen.svg5–1Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan
Report

Group C

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 312031+25 Knockout stage
2Flag of India.svg  India 312010+15
3Flag of Iran.svg  Iran 311152+34
4Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 30121761
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Iran  Flag of Iran.svg0–2Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia
Report
Vietnam  Flag of Vietnam.svg0–1Flag of India.svg  India
Report
UM Arena Stadium, Kuala Lumpur
Attendance: 166
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)

India  Flag of India.svg0–0Flag of Iran.svg  Iran
Report
Indonesia  Flag of Indonesia.svg1–1Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam
Report

Iran  Flag of Iran.svg5–0Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam
Report
India  Flag of India.svg0–0Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia
Report

Group D

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 3300120+129 Knockout stage
2Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 320164+26
3Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq 31023523
4Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg  Afghanistan 3003113120
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Iraq  Flag of Iraq.svg2–1Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg  Afghanistan
Report
South Korea  Flag of South Korea.svg3–0Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Report

Australia  Flag of Australia (converted).svg2–1Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq
Report
UM Arena Stadium, Kuala Lumpur
Attendance: 187
Referee: Payam Heidari (Iran)
Afghanistan  Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg0–7Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
Report

Iraq  Flag of Iraq.svg0–2Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
Report
UM Arena Stadium, Kuala Lumpur
Attendance: 120
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
Australia  Flag of Australia (converted).svg4–0Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg  Afghanistan
Report

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, penalty shoot-out without extra time was used to decide the winners if necessary. [8]

Bracket

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
30 September – Bukit Jalil
 
 
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 2
 
4 October – Bukit Jalil
 
Flag of Oman.svg  Oman 1
 
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 3
 
1 October – Bukit Jalil
 
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1
 
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 2
 
7 October – Bukit Jalil
 
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 3
 
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1
 
30 September – Petaling Jaya
 
Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan 0
 
Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea 1 (2)
 
4 October – Petaling Jaya
 
Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan (p)1 (4)
 
Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan (p)1 (7)
 
1 October – Petaling Jaya
 
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 1 (6)
 
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 1
 
 
Flag of India.svg  India 0
 

Quarter-finals

The winners qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Japan  Flag of Japan.svg2–1Flag of Oman.svg  Oman
Report


Indonesia  Flag of Indonesia.svg2–3Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Report

South Korea  Flag of South Korea.svg1–0Flag of India.svg  India
Report

Semi-finals

Japan  Flag of Japan.svg3–1Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Report

Final

Japan  Flag of Japan.svg1–0Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan
Report

Winners

 2018 AFC U-16 Championship 
Flag of Japan.svg
Japan
Third title

Awards

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:

Top Goalscorer [11] Most Valuable Player [11] Fair Play award [11]
Flag of Malaysia.svg Luqman Hakim [note 3] Flag of Japan.svg Jun Nishikawa Flag of Japan.svg  Japan

Goalscorers

There were 97 goals scored in 31 matches, for an average of 3.13 goals per match.

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

    Qualified teams for FIFA U-17 World Cup

    The following four teams from AFC qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

    TeamQualified onPrevious appearances in FIFA U-17 World Cup 1
    Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 30 September 2018 [12] 8 ( 1993 , 1995, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017)
    Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan 30 September 2018 [12] 1 (2007)
    Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1 October 2018 [13] 12 2 (1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2015)
    Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 1 October 2018 [13] 5 (1987, 2003, 2007 , 2009, 2015)
    1Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.
    2 Australia qualified as a member of the OFC for ten tournaments between 1985 and 2005.

    Notes

    1. 1 2 3 Due to weather conditions (heavy rainfall and lightning), both Matchday 3 matches in Group A were postponed from 26 September, 16:30 (and initially pushed to 17:30) to 27 September, 11:00. [9]
    2. 1 2 3 The following venue changes were announced by the AFC on 25 September 2018 due to a request by the football associations of Malaysia and Indonesia in order to accommodate the large number of Indonesian fans: [10]
    3. Playing less than the other players scoring 5 goals (with 2 matches), Luqman won the Top Scorer Award

    References

    1. "AFC Competitions Committee's decisions published". AFC. 25 July 2017.
    2. "AFC Competitions Calendar 2018". AFC. 11 January 2018.
    3. "AFC Competitions Calendar 2017" (PDF). AFC. 12 April 2016.
    4. "Korea Republic seal AFC U-16 Championship 2018 berth". AFC. 29 September 2017.
    5. "Asia's future stars to shine in Malaysia 2018". AFC. 26 April 2018.
    6. "Preview: Stars of tomorrow to know their challengers". AFC. 25 April 2018.
    7. "AFC U-16 Championship 2018 Official Draw". YouTube. 26 April 2018.
    8. 1 2 3 "Regulations AFC U-16 Championship 2018". AFC. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018.
    9. "Group A Matchday Three matches cancelled, rescheduled to Thursday". AFC. 26 September 2018.
    10. "Group C Matchday Three venue change". Asian Football Confederation. 25 September 2018.
    11. 1 2 3 "Japan's Nishikawa named MVP". AFC. 7 October 2018.
    12. 1 2 "Japan, Tajikistan qualify for Peru 2019". FIFA.com. 30 September 2018.
    13. 1 2 "Australia, Korea Republic seal Peru 2019 spots". FIFA.com. 1 October 2018.