2009 SAFF Championship

The 2009 South Asian Football Federation Championship was hosted by Bangladesh from 4 to 13 December 2009. Bangladesh was awarded to host the tournament after the withdrawal of original hosts India.[1][2][3]

2009 SAFF Championship
Tournament details
Host countryBangladesh
Dates4–13 December
Teams8
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions India (5th title)
Runners-up Maldives
Tournament statistics
Matches played15
Goals scored42 (2.8 per match)
Top scorer(s)Bangladesh Enamul Haque
Maldives Ahmed Thariq
Sri Lanka Channa Ediri Bandanage
(4 goals each)
Best player(s)India Arindam Bhattacharya
2008
2011
All statistics correct as of 30 March 2019.

After India's reluctance to host the tournament, in May 2009, at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Salahuddin on his return from the AFC Congress informed that although India were still retaining their status as hosts of the championship, Bangladesh and Nepal had turned in fresh bids in anticipation of staging this prestigious eight-nation meet.

A decision was taken at the FIFA Congress in Bahamas in the first week of June[4] but no announcement was officially made. In July, with the tournament drawing ever closer, media reports once again suggested that the tournament would be moved once again to Bangladesh, as Pakistan would struggle to obtain visas if the tournament is hosted in India.[5]

On 31 August 2009, it was reported that the tournament would be held in Bangladesh, after the Indian football association (AIFF) had its annual congress at the end of August. This was formally confirmed by the AFC on 10 September through a press release.[6]

Venue

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The Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka was the only venue for the tournament. It is also home venue for Bangladesh national football team.

Dhaka
Bangabandhu National Stadium
Capacity: 36,000
 

Squads

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Draw

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The draw for the tournament was made on 3 October 2009.[7] India took part with their U-23 team[8]

Group A Group B

  Afghanistan (unseeded)
  India U23 (1st seed)
  Maldives (2nd seed)
    Nepal (unseeded)

  Bangladesh (1st seed)
  Bhutan (unseeded)
  Pakistan (unseeded)
  Sri Lanka (2nd seed)

Group stage

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Group A

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Maldives 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 7
  India U23 3 2 0 1 2 2 0 6
    Nepal 3 1 1 1 4 2 +2 4
  Afghanistan 3 0 0 3 1 7 −6 0
Source: RSSSF
Maldives  1–1    Nepal
Thariq   61' Report J.M. Rai   68'
India U23  1–0  Afghanistan
Lalpekhlua   86' Report

Maldives  3–1  Afghanistan
Thariq   52'
Ashfaq   69', 89'
Report Barakzai   30'
India U23  1–0    Nepal
Sushil   18' Report

Afghanistan  0–3    Nepal
Report A. Gurung   55', 73'
B. Gurung   56'
Maldives  2–0  India U23
Thariq   15'
Fazeel   82'
Report

Group B

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Bangladesh 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 7
  Sri Lanka 3 2 0 1 8 2 +6 6
  Pakistan 3 1 1 1 7 1 +6 4
  Bhutan 3 0 0 3 1 17 −16 0
Source: RSSSF
Sri Lanka  1–0  Pakistan
Gunarathne   23' Report
Bangladesh  4–1  Bhutan
Pranotosh   11'
Enamul   22', 51'
Ameli   72'
Report Dendup   42' (pen.)

Sri Lanka  6–0  Bhutan
Channa   7', 25'
Kasun   39', 66', 78'
Gunarathne   90'
Report
Bangladesh  0–0  Pakistan
Report

Pakistan  7–0  Bhutan
Essa   21', 54'
Ashraf   23'
Mehmood   28', 35', 66'
S. Khan   45'
Report
Bangladesh  2–1  Sri Lanka
Enamul   8', 64' Report Channa   42'

Knockout stage

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
11 Dec – Dhaka
 
 
  Maldives5
 
13 Dec – Dhaka
 
  Sri Lanka1
 
  Maldives 0 (1)
 
11 Dec – Dhaka
 
  India U230 (3)
 
  Bangladesh0
 
 
  India U231
 

Semi-finals

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Maldives  5–1  Sri Lanka
Thariq   21'
Fazeel   63', 85' (pen.)
Ashfaq   76'
Ashad   87'
Report Channa   62'
Bangladesh  0–1  India U23
Report Sushil   63'

Final

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Maldives  0–0 (a.e.t.)  India U23
Report
Penalties
Fazeel  
Thariq  
Mukhthar  
Ashfaq  
1–3   Jibon
  Denzil
  Nirmal
  Subodh

Champion

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 SAFF Championship 2009 
 
India
Fifth title

Goalscorers

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4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal

References

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  1. ^ "20-member squad for SAFF Championship". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  2. ^ "India beat Maldivies to lift SAFF Cup". Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  3. ^ "SAFF Championship 2009 Bangladesh Group Stage". Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  4. ^ "BFF bids for SAFF meet". The Daily Star. Bangladesh. 12 May 2009.
  5. ^ http://www.indianfootball.com/en/news/articleId/1267 | SAFF Cup 2009 to be shifted?
  6. ^ "Bangladesh to host SAFF Championship". The-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  7. ^ "Hosts avoid India". The Daily Star. Bangladesh. 4 October 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  8. ^ "Indian Football". Archived from the original on 2009-10-25. Retrieved 2009-11-02.