2018 SAFF Championship

Last updated

2018 SAFF Championship
২০১৮ সাফ চ্যাম্পিয়নশিপ
2018 SAFF logo.jpg
Tournament details
Host countryBangladesh
Dates4–15 September
Teams7 (from 1 sub-confederation)
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
ChampionsFlag of Maldives.svg  Maldives (2nd title)
Runners-upFlag of India.svg  India
Tournament statistics
Matches played12
Goals scored29 (2.42 per match)
Top scorer(s) Flag of India.svg Manvir Singh
Flag of Pakistan.svg Hassan Bashir
(3 goals)
Best player(s) Flag of Maldives.svg Mohamed Faisal
Best goalkeeper Flag of Maldives.svg Mohamed Faisal
Fair play awardFlag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan
2015
2021
During 2018 SAFF championship final 2018 SAFF Championship Final (5).jpg
During 2018 SAFF championship final
Video of 2018 SAFF Championship Final (during the interval).

The 2018 SAFF Championship, also known as the 2018 SAFF Suzuki Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 12th edition of the SAFF Championship, the biennial international men's football championship of South Asia organized by SAFF. It was initially scheduled to be hosted by Bangladesh in December 2017, [1] but later rescheduled to 4–15 September 2018. [2]

Contents

Host selection

On 2 January 2016, the SAFF executive committee made a decision that Bangladesh would host the 2017 SAFF Championship at a meeting held in Trivandrum, India. Maldives and Bhutan made bids to host the games but the latter withdrew its bid. [1]

This was the third SAFF Championship hosted by Bangladesh, after victory in the 2003 edition and semi-finalists in 2009.

The draw ceremony was held on 18 April 2018 in Dhaka. [3]

Participating nations

CountryAppearancePrevious best performance FIFA ranking
16 August 2018
Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh (Host)11thChampions (2003)194
Flag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan 8thSemi-finals (2008)183
Flag of India.svg  India 12thChampions (1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015)96
Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives 10thChampions (2008)150
Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal 12thThird-Place (1993)161
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 11thThird-Place (1997)201
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 12thChampions (1995)200

Squads

Venue

Dhaka
Bangabandhu National Stadium
Capacity: 36,000
Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh.jpg

Officials

Referees
Assistant Referees

Group stage

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal 320172+56Qualified for semi-finals
2Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 320152+36
3Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh (H)320132+16
4Flag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan 30030990
Source: RSSSF
(H) Hosts
Nepal    Flag of Nepal.svg12Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan
  • B. Magar Soccerball shade.svg82'
Report
Bangabandhu National Stadium , Dhaka
Referee: Mohammad Arafah (Jordan)
Bangladesh  Flag of Bangladesh.svg20Flag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan
Report

Nepal    Flag of Nepal.svg40Flag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan
Report
Bangladesh  Flag of Bangladesh.svg10Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan
Report
Bangabandhu National Stadium , Dhaka
Referee: Hasan Akrami (Iran)

Pakistan  Flag of Pakistan.svg30Flag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan
Report
Bangabandhu National Stadium , Dhaka
Referee: Hasan Akrami (Iran)
Bangladesh  Flag of Bangladesh.svg02Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal
Report

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of India.svg  India 220040+46Qualified for semi-finals
2Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives 20110221 [lower-alpha 1]
3Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 20110221 [lower-alpha 1]
Source: RSSSF
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Maldives and Sri Lanka were level on points, goal difference, goals against and head-to-head. The winner was decided by a coin toss. [4]
India  Flag of India.svg20Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka
Report
Bangabandhu National Stadium , Dhaka
Referee: Hanna Hattab (Syria)

Maldives  Flag of Maldives.svg00Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka
Report
Bangabandhu National Stadium , Dhaka
Referee: Mohammad Arafah (Jordan)

India  Flag of India.svg20Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives
Report
Bangabandhu National Stadium , Dhaka
Referee: Hanna Hattab (Syria)

Knockout phase

Bracket

 
Semi-finals Final
 
      
 
12 September
 
 
Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal 0
 
15 September
 
Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives 3
 
Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives 2
 
12 September
 
Flag of India.svg  India 1
 
Flag of India.svg  India 3
 
 
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 1
 

Semi-finals

Nepal    Flag of Nepal.svg03Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives
Report
India  Flag of India.svg31Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan
Report

Final

Maldives  Flag of Maldives.svg21Flag of India.svg  India
Report
Bangabandhu National Stadium , Dhaka
Referee: Hasan Akrami (Iran)

Champion

 SAFF Championship 2018 
Flag of Maldives.svg
Maldives

Second title

Awards

The following awards were given for the 2018 SAFF Championship.

Fair Play award [6] Most Valuable Player [7] Top Goalscorer [lower-alpha 2] [9] [10]
Flag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan Flag of Maldives.svg Mohamed Faisal Flag of India.svg Manvir Singh

Flag of Pakistan.svg Hassan Bashir

Goalscorers

There were 29 goals scored in 12 matches, for an average of 2.42 goals per match.

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

Media coverage

CountryBroadcasterRef.
Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh Channel 9 [11]
Flag of India.svg  India D Sport [12]
Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives Television Maldives
Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal AP1 Television
Flag of the United States.svg  United States Bleacher Report [13] [14]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Bangladesh to host 2017 SAFF Championship". bdnews24.com. 2 January 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  2. "GoalNepal.com – A Complete Nepali Football website". www.goalnepal.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  3. Independent, The. "SAFF tourney in Dhaka in Apr". theindependentbd.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  4. "India 2-0 Maldives". SAFF. 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  5. Suzuki Cup, SAFF (12 September 2018). "India vs Pakistan". Youtube.
  6. "Fair Play Award". 15 September 2018.
  7. "Most Valuable Player". 15 September 2018.
  8. Suzuki Cup, SAFF (12 September 2018). "India vs Pakistan". Youtube.
  9. "South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship, 2018 - goal scorers". 11vs11.
  10. "Top Goalscorer". 15 September 2018.
  11. "Bangabandhu Satellite-1 starts operation with Saff Suzuki Cup coverage". Dhaka Tribune. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  12. "SAFF Championship 2018: Teams, fixtures, broadcast schedules and more". Goal.com. 2 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  13. "B/R Live – Watch live sports online". live.bleacherreport.com. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  14. "Bleacher Report Support - Answer Detail". support.live.bleacherreport.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  1. Although RSSSF erroneously lists Muhammad Ali as the scorer against India, the goal was scored by Hassan Bashir. [5]
  2. Although RSSSF erroneously lists Muhammad Ali as the scorer against India, the goal was scored by Hassan Bashir. [8]