2016 AFC U-16 Championship

The 2016 AFC U-16 Championship was the 17th 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. The tournament was held in India, as announced by the AFC on 3 June 2015,[1][2] and was played between 15 September and 2 October 2016.[3] A total of 16 teams played in the tournament.

2016 AFC U-16 Championship
Tournament details
Host country India
Dates15 September – 2 October
Teams16 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)2 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Iraq (1st title)
Runners-up Iran
Tournament statistics
Matches played31
Goals scored109 (3.52 per match)
Attendance32,983 (1,064 per match)
Top scorer(s)Iraq Mohammed Dawood (6 goals)
Best player(s)Iraq Mohammed Dawood
2014
2018

Same as previous editions, the tournament acted as the AFC qualifiers for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The top four teams of the tournament qualified for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup also in India as the AFC representatives, besides India who qualified automatically as hosts. If India were among the top four teams, three play-off matches would be played to decide the fifth-placed team which also qualify for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup; however, this was not necessary as India were eliminated in the group stage.[4]

This marked the first time a U-17 World Cup host nation hosts the AFC U-16 Championship.

Iraq won the tournament after beating Iran 4–3 on penalties in the final match.

Qualification

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The draw for the qualifiers was held on 5 June 2015.[5] A total of 45 teams were drawn into eleven groups, with the eleven group winners and the four best runners-up qualifying for the final tournament, together with India who qualified automatically as hosts but also competed in the qualifying stage.

The qualifiers were played between 12–20 September 2015, except for Group H which were played between 2–6 September 2015.[6]

Qualified teams

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The following 16 teams qualified for the final tournament.[7] Nepal were replaced by Kyrgyzstan due to one of their players failing an MRI bone test.[8]

On 12 April 2016, the AFC Competitions Committee decided that if the FIFA suspension of the Kuwait Football Association was not lifted by 13 May 2016, the next highest ranked team in the AFC U-16 Championship qualifying competition would replace Kuwait in the competition.[9]

On 13 May 2016, the FIFA Congress confirmed the suspension of Kuwait, and asked the FIFA Council to lift the suspension as soon as the necessary requirements are fulfilled.[10] As a result, Kuwait were replaced by Yemen, the next highest ranked team in the AFC U-16 Championship qualifying competition.[11]

Team Qualified as Appearance Previous best performance
  India Hosts /
Group E (3rd best
) runners-up
7th Quarter-finals (2002)
  Uzbekistan Group A winners 9th Champions (2012)
  Kyrgyzstan Group B winners 1st Debut
  Iraq Group C winners 9th Third place (1985), Semi-finals (2012)
  Saudi Arabia Group D winners 10th Champions (1985, 1988)
  Iran Group E winners 10th Champions (2008)
  Malaysia Group G winners 4th Quarter-finals (2014)
  North Korea Group H winners 10th Champions (2010, 2014)
  South Korea Group I winners 12th Champions (1986, 2002)
  Australia Group J winners 5th Semi-finals (2010, 2014)
  Japan Group K winners 13th Champions (1994, 2006)
  Vietnam Group J (1st best) runners-up 6th Fourth place (2000)
  Thailand Group H (2nd best) runners-up 10th Champions (1998)
  United Arab Emirates Group D (4th best) runners-up 7th Runners-up (1990)
  Oman Group B (5th best) runners-up 9th Champions (1996, 2000)
  Yemen Group A (6th best) runners-up 5th Runners-up (2002)

Venues

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The tournament is played in two venues:

Margao
2016 AFC U-16 Championship (India)
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Capacity: 19,000
 
Bambolim
GMC Athletic Stadium
Capacity: 3,600

Draw

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The draw for the final tournament was held on 26 May 2016, 15:00 IST (UTC+5:30), in Goa (postponed from 4 May 2016).[12][13] The 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams.[4] The teams were seeded according to their performance in the previous edition in 2014.

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4

  India (hosts; position A1)
  North Korea
  South Korea
  Australia

  Iran
  Malaysia
  Japan
  Uzbekistan

  Thailand
  Saudi Arabia
  Oman
  Vietnam

  United Arab Emirates
  Yemen
  Kyrgyzstan
  Iraq

Squads

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Players born on or after 1 January 2000 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.

Group stage

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

Tiebreakers

The teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[14]

  1. Greater number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
  2. Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
  3. Greater number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;
  4. If, after applying criteria 1 to 3, teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 3 are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams in question to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 5 to 9 apply;
  5. Goal difference in all the group matches;
  6. Greater number of goals scored in all the group matches;
  7. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are involved and they are both on the field of play;
  8. Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card);
  9. Drawing of lots.

All times are local, IST (UTC+5:30).[15]

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Iran 3 2 1 0 7 3 +4 7 Knockout stage
2   United Arab Emirates 3 2 1 0 7 4 +3 7
3   Saudi Arabia 3 0 1 2 6 9 −3 1
4   India (H) 3 0 1 2 5 9 −4 1
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Iran  3–2  Saudi Arabia
Sayyadmanesh   47'
Ghaderi   69'
Asadabadi   70'
Report Al Beshe   4'
Al-Anazi   42'
India  2–3  United Arab Emirates
Stalin   11'
Thangjam   36'
Report Aydh   34'
Rashed   53'
Fawzi   74'

United Arab Emirates  1–1  Iran
Alazez   51' Report Asadabadi   49'
Saudi Arabia  3–3  India
Al-Dhuwayhi   34'
Al-Buraikan   82', 83'
Report Jadhav   6'
Chetri   22'
Wangjam   90+5' (pen.)

India  0–3  Iran
Report Ghaderi   23'
Sharifi   81' (pen.), 90+1' (pen.)
Attendance: 5,892
Referee: Yaqoob Abdul Baki (Oman)
Saudi Arabia  1–3  United Arab Emirates
Al-Duraywish   65' Report Fawzi   42'
Ali Khamis   74'
Al Naqbi   81'
Attendance: 700

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Japan 3 3 0 0 21 0 +21 9 Knockout stage
2   Vietnam 3 2 0 1 6 10 −4 6
3   Kyrgyzstan 3 1 0 2 2 11 −9 3
4   Australia 3 0 0 3 2 10 −8 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Australia  0–1  Kyrgyzstan
Report Kanybekov   76' (pen.)
Attendance: 100
Japan  7–0  Vietnam
Kubo   16', 64'
Fukuoka   24', 51'
Miyashiro   40'
Kemmotsu   79'
Yamada   85'
Report
Attendance: 100

Kyrgyzstan  0–8  Japan
Report Tanahashi   34', 54', 80' (pen.)
Kubo   42', 90+2'
Nakamura   43', 52'
Suzuki   56' (pen.)
Attendance: 250
Referee: Yaqoob Abdul Baki (Oman)
Vietnam  3–2  Australia
Nguyễn Hữu Thắng   51', 61'
Nguyễn Duy Khiêm   86'
Report Roberts   18', 28'
Attendance: 1,467

Australia  0–6  Japan
Report Kozuki   4', 82'
Miyashiro   54'
Sehata   56'
Matsumoto   64'
Tanahashi   86'
Attendance: 430
Vietnam  3–1  Kyrgyzstan
Nguyễn Khắc Khiêm   20'
Dzhakybaliev   81' (o.g.)
Nguyễn Trần Việt Cường   88'
Report Alykulov   6'

Group C

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Oman 3 1 2 0 4 1 +3 5 Knockout stage
2   Iraq 3 1 2 0 4 3 +1 5
3   South Korea 3 1 1 1 4 2 +2 4
4   Malaysia 3 0 1 2 1 7 −6 1
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
South Korea  1–2  Iraq
Jeong Chan-young   43' Report Muntadher   45+2' (pen.), 50' (pen.)
Malaysia  0–3  Oman
Report Al-Alawi   20' (pen.), 78'
Al-Malki   63' (pen.)

Iraq  1–1  Malaysia
Jalil   43' Report Aliff   86'
Oman  0–0  South Korea
Report

South Korea  3–0  Malaysia
Park Jeong-in   4'
Cheon Seong-hoon   14' (pen.)
Ko Jun-hee   84'
Report
Oman  1–1  Iraq
Al Alawi   90' Report Dawood   37'
Attendance: 1,106
Referee: Wang Di (China)

Group D

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Uzbekistan 3 3 0 0 9 4 +5 9 Knockout stage
2   North Korea 3 2 0 1 7 4 +3 6
3   Yemen 3 0 1 2 1 4 −3 1
4   Thailand 3 0 1 2 5 10 −5 1
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
North Korea  2–0  Yemen
Kim Pom-hyok   61', 75' Report
Uzbekistan  5–3  Thailand
Muydinov   24' (pen.)
Yuldoshov   45+2' (pen.), 89'
Wudtichai   57' (o.g.)
Abdullaev   82'
Report Jinnawat   2'
Arnon   58', 90+4'
Attendance: 1,300

Yemen  0–1  Uzbekistan
Report Sobirjonov   69'
Attendance: 550
Thailand  1–4  North Korea
Hassawat   69' Report Kye Tam   41' (pen.), 63', 67'
Ri Kang-guk   79'
Attendance: 1,150

North Korea  1–3  Uzbekistan
Ri Kang-guk   75' Report Umrzakov   49'
Yuldoshov   62'
Ganikhonov   68'
Attendance: 973
Thailand  1–1  Yemen
Natthaphon   47' Report Hassawat   27' (o.g.)

Knockout stage

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In the knockout stage, penalty shoot-out is used to decide the winner if necessary (extra time is not used).[14]

Bracket

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Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
25 September – Margao
 
 
  Iran5
 
29 September – Margao
 
  Vietnam0
 
  Iran (p)1 (6)
 
26 September – Margao
 
  North Korea1 (5)
 
  Oman1 (2)
 
2 October – Margao
 
  North Korea (p)1 (4)
 
  Iran0 (3)
 
25 September – Bambolim
 
  Iraq (p)0 (4)
 
  Japan1
 
29 September – Bambolim
 
  United Arab Emirates0
 
  Japan2
 
26 September – Bambolim
 
  Iraq4
 
  Uzbekistan0
 
 
  Iraq2
 

Quarter-finals

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Winners qualify for 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Iran  5–0  Vietnam
Sayyadmanesh   30', 72'
Ghaderi   47'
Asadabadi   62'
Khodamoradi   69'
Report

Japan  1–0  United Arab Emirates
Seko   31' Report
Attendance: 2,428

Oman  1–1  North Korea
Al Jahdhami   80' Report Kim Pom-hyok   84'
Penalties
Al-Alawi  
Al-Qaidi  
Al Malki  
Al Jahdhami  
2–4   Kye Tam
  Yun Min
  Kim Kyong-sok
  Cha Kwang
  Kim Pom-hyok

Uzbekistan  0–2  Iraq
Report Dawood   7', 79'
Attendance: 1,673
Referee: Wang Di (China)

Semi-finals

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Japan  2–4  Iraq
Yamada   29', 42' Report Dawood   18', 81' (pen.), 90+4' (pen.)
Abdulsada   67'
Attendance: 1,542

Final

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Iran  0–0  Iraq
Report
Penalties
Sharifi  
Namdari  
Ahani  
Shariati  
Esmaeilzadeh  
3–4   Sartip
  Abdulsada
  Ali Radha
  Muntadher
  Dawood

Winners

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 AFC U-16 Championship 2016 winners 
 
Iraq
First title

Awards

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Most Valuable Player
Top Scorer
Fair Play

Goalscorers

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6 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal
Source: the-afc.com

Tournament ranking

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As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Final result
1   Iraq 6 3 3 0 10 5 +5 12 Champions
2   Iran 6 3 3 0 13 4 +9 12 Runners-up
3   Japan 5 4 0 1 24 4 +20 12 Semi-finalists
4   North Korea 5 2 2 1 9 6 +3 8
5   Uzbekistan 4 3 0 1 9 6 +3 9 Eliminated in
quarter-finals
6   United Arab Emirates 4 2 1 1 7 5 +2 7
7   Oman 4 1 3 0 5 2 +3 6
8   Vietnam 4 2 0 2 6 15 −9 6
9   South Korea 3 1 1 1 4 2 +2 4 Eliminated in
group stage
10   Kyrgyzstan 3 1 0 2 2 11 −9 3
11   Saudi Arabia 3 0 1 2 6 9 −3 1
12   Yemen 3 0 1 2 1 4 −3 1
13   India (H) 3 0 1 2 5 9 −4 1
14   Thailand 3 0 1 2 5 10 −5 1
15   Malaysia 3 0 1 2 1 7 −6 1
16   Australia 3 0 0 3 2 10 −8 0
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts

Qualified teams for FIFA U-17 World Cup

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The following five teams from AFC qualified for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, including India which qualified as hosts.[17]

Team Qualified on Previous appearances in tournament1
  India 5 December 2013[18] 0 (Debut)
  Iraq 26 September 2016 1 (2013)
  Iran 25 September 2016 3 (2001, 2009, 2013)
  Japan 25 September 2016 7 (1993, 1995, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013)
  North Korea 26 September 2016 4 (2005, 2007, 2011, 2015)
1 Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host for that year.

Ban on North Korean manager and goalkeeper

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On 4 November 2016, the AFC announced that North Korean manager Yung Jong-su and goalkeeper Jang Paek-ho were banned for a year for bringing the game into disrepute following the deliberate conceding of a goal during their final group match against Uzbekistan.[19] The goal in question was conceded in the 49th minute, which Jang appeared to duck out of the way of a direct kick from the Uzbek goalkeeper. Uzbekistan won the match 3–1 and finished top of the group, meaning they would meet Iraq in the quarter-finals, and they went on to lose. North Korea, as group runners-up, met Oman in the quarter-finals, which they won to qualify for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[20] The ban means both Yung and Jang are suspended from the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The North Korean team were also placed on a suspended ban from the 2018 AFC U-19 Championship. While they will be allowed to compete in the qualifiers, if the team engage in similar behaviour, they will be automatically ejected from the competition.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "India to host AFC U-16 Championship 2016". AFC. 3 June 2015.
  2. ^ "INDIA WIN AFC U-16 BID". All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  3. ^ "AFC Calendar of Competitions 2016" (PDF). AFC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2017.
  4. ^ a b "AFC U-16 Championship India 2016 draw concluded". AFC. 26 May 2016.
  5. ^ "AFC U-16 Championship 2016 qualifying draw concluded". AFC. 5 June 2015.
  6. ^ "AFC Calendar of Competitions 2015" (PDF). AFC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2014.
  7. ^ "AFC U-16 Championship finalists confirmed". the-AFC.com. 21 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Kyrgyzstan to compete at AFC U-16 C'ship after Nepal exclusion". AFC. 27 October 2015.
  9. ^ "AFC Competitions Committee decisions". the-AFC.com. 12 April 2016.
  10. ^ "FIFA Congress drives football forward, first female secretary general appointed". the-AFC.com. 13 May 2016. Archived from the original on 16 May 2016.
  11. ^ "AFC U-16 Championship India 2016: The Groups". AFC. 28 May 2016.
  12. ^ "AFC confirms raft of crucial draw dates". AFC. 17 March 2016.
  13. ^ "India's preparations for U-17 World Cup to gather pace with AIFF Youth Cup". Firstpost. 2 May 2016.
  14. ^ a b "Regulations AFC U-16 Championship 2016" (PDF). AFC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2017.
  15. ^ "AFC U-16 Championship India 2016: Match Schedule" (PDF). AFC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2017.
  16. ^ a b c "Iraq's Dawood Wins MVP and Top Scorer Awards". The-AFC.com. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  17. ^ "Asian quartet qualify for India 2017". FIFA.com. 25 September 2016. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016.
  18. ^ "FIFA launches 2014 FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust". FIFA.com. 5 December 2013. Archived from the original on 15 April 2014.
  19. ^ a b "Latest AFC Disciplinary Committee decisions published". AFC. 4 November 2016.
  20. ^ "North Korea: Goalkeeper and manager of U16 team fined and banned by AFC". BBC Sport. 4 November 2016.
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