Wikipedia

2018 SAFF Championship

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]

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

Host selection

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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

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Country Appearance Previous best performance FIFA ranking
16 August 2018
  Bangladesh (Host) 11th Champions (2003) 194
  Bhutan 8th Semi-finals (2008) 183
  India 12th Champions (1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015) 96
  Maldives 10th Champions (2008) 150
    Nepal 12th Third-Place (1993) 161
  Pakistan 11th Third-Place (1997) 201
  Sri Lanka 12th Champions (1995) 200

Squads

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Main article: 2018 SAFF Championship squads

Venue

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Dhaka
Bangabandhu National Stadium
Capacity: 36,000
 

Officials

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Referees
Assistant Referees
  •   Manir Ahmmad Dali
  •   Sapam Kennedy
  •   Hassan Zeheiri
  •   Priyanga Palliya Guruge
  •   Apichit Nophuan
  •   Ali Mohammed Al Hasani

Group stage

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All times are local, BST (UTC+6:00).

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1     Nepal 3 2 0 1 7 2 +5 6 Qualified for semi-finals
2   Pakistan 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3 6
3   Bangladesh (H) 3 2 0 1 3 2 +1 6
4   Bhutan 3 0 0 3 0 9 −9 0
Source: RSSSF
(H) Hosts


Nepal    1–2  Pakistan
  • B. Magar   82'
 Report
Referee: Mohammad Arafah (Jordan)
Bangladesh  2–0  Bhutan
 Report
Nepal    4–0  Bhutan
 Report
Bangladesh  1–0  Pakistan
 Report
Referee: Hasan Akrami (Iran)
Pakistan  3–0  Bhutan
 Report
Referee: Hasan Akrami (Iran)
Bangladesh  0–2    Nepal
Report

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   India 2 2 0 0 4 0 +4 6 Qualified for semi-finals
2   Maldives 2 0 1 1 0 2 −2 1[a]
3   Sri Lanka 2 0 1 1 0 2 −2 1[a]
Source: RSSSF
Notes:
  1. ^ a b 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  2–0  Sri Lanka
 Report
Referee: Hanna Hattab (Syria)
Maldives  0–0  Sri Lanka
Report
Referee: Mohammad Arafah (Jordan)
India  2–0  Maldives
 Report
Referee: Hanna Hattab (Syria)

Knockout phase

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Bracket

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
12 September
 
 
    Nepal0
 
15 September
 
  Maldives3
 
  Maldives2
 
12 September
 
  India1
 
  India3
 
 
  Pakistan1
 

Semi-finals

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Nepal    0–3  Maldives
Report
India  3–1  Pakistan
 Report

Final

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Main article: 2018 SAFF Championship Final
Maldives  2–1  India
 Report
Referee: Hasan Akrami (Iran)

Champion

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 SAFF Championship 2018 
 
Maldives
Second title

Awards

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The following awards were given for the 2018 SAFF Championship.

Fair Play award[6] Most Valuable Player[7] Top Goalscorer[b][9][10]
  Bhutan   Mohamed Faisal   Manvir Singh

  Hassan Bashir

Goalscorers

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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

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Country Broadcaster Ref.
  Bangladesh Channel 9 [11]
  India D Sport [12]
  Maldives Television Maldives
    Nepal AP1 Television
  United States Bleacher Report [13][14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "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]
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