2018 SAFF Championship

The 2018 SAFF Championship, also known as 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
During 2018 SAFF championship final

Host selection

On 2 January 2016, 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
Country Appearance Previous best performance FIFA ranking
16 August 2018
 Bangladesh (Host)11thChampions (2003)194
 Bhutan8thSemi-finals (2008)183
 India12thChampions (1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015)96
 Maldives10thChampions (2008)150
   Nepal12thThird-Place (1993)161
 Pakistan11thThird-Place (1997)201
 Sri Lanka12thChampions (1995)200

Squads
Main article: 2018 SAFF Championship squads

Venue
Dhaka
Bangabandhu National Stadium
Capacity: 36,000

Officials
Referees
Assistant Referees
  • Bangladesh Manir Ahmmad Dali
  • India Sapam Kennedy
  • Iran Hassan Zeheiri
  • Sri Lanka Priyanga Palliya Guruge
  • Thailand Apichit Nophuan
  • Yemen Ali Mohammed Al Hasani

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

Group A

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

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[lower-alpha 1]
3  Sri Lanka 2 0 1 1 0 2 −2 1[lower-alpha 1]
Source: RSSSF
Notes:
  1. 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

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

Semi-finals
Nepal   0–3 Maldives
Report
India 3–1 Pakistan
 Report

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

Champion
 SAFF Championship 2018 

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]
 Bhutan Maldives Mohamed Faisal India Manvir Singh

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

References
  1. "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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