2017 SAFF U-18 Championship

The 2017 SAFF U-18 Championship was the 2nd edition of the SAFF U-18 Championship, an international football competition for men's under-18 national teams organized by SAFF. But since most teams use to send their U-18 team keeping in mind 2018 AFC U-19 Championship qualification it has been officially changed to U-18 tournament. The tournament was hosted by Bhutan 18–27 September 2017.[1]

2017 SAFF U-18 Championship
Tournament details
Host countryBhutan
Dates18–27 September
Teams5 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)Changlimithang Stadium (in Thimphu host cities)
Final positions
Champions   Nepal (2nd title)
Runners-up Bangladesh
Third place India
Tournament statistics
Matches played10
Goals scored26 (2.6 per match)
Attendance38,737 (3,874 per match)
Top scorer(s)Bangladesh Jafar Iqbal
(5 goals)
Best player(s)Bhutan Orgyen Tshering
Fair play award Bhutan
2015
2019

It was the first time that Bhutan was hosting SAFF event.

Host selection

edit

A draw for tournament ceremony was held on 10 July 2017 at conference room of Bangladesh Football Federation.

SAFF general secretary Anwarul Haque Helal and BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag, were among others present on the occasion.[1]

Player eligibility

edit

Players born on or after 1 January 1999 are eligible to compete in the tournament.

Participating teams

edit

On 6 September 2017 it was announced that Sri Lanka withdrew from the tournament whereas Pakistan didn't take part due to internal turmoil.[2]

Team Appearances
in the SAFF U-18 Championship
Previous best performance
  Bangladesh 2nd Semi finals (2015)
  Bhutan (Host) 2nd Group Stage
  India 2nd Runners-Up (2015)
  Maldives 2nd Group Stage
    Nepal 2nd Champion (2015)

Venue

edit
Thimphu
Changlimithang Stadium
Capacity: 25,000
 

Match officials

edit
Referees
Assistant Referees
Referee Supervisor


Format

edit

After Sri Lanka U18 opted out from the event. Now the championship will be played on round robin basis. Each team will face every other team once respectively and the team with the most points will win the title.[3]

Standings

edit
Key to colours in group tables
Champion
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Status
1     Nepal (C) 4 3 0 1 6 2 +4 9[a] Champion
2   Bangladesh 4 3 0 1 9 5 +4 9[a]
3   India 4 2 0 2 8 7 +1 6
4   Bhutan (H) 4 2 0 2 2 5 −3 6
5   Maldives 4 0 0 4 1 7 −6 0
Source: Futbol24
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored;
(C) Champions; (H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Nepal ahead of Bangladesh on head-to-head points: Bangladesh 1–2 Nepal
Bangladesh  4–3  India
Jafar Iqbal   55', 90+1'
Rahmat Mia   60'
Mahbubur Rahman Sufil   74'
Report
Attendance: 4633
Referee: Farook M. Irshad (Sri Lanka)

Maldives  0–1  Bhutan
Report
Attendance: 3719
Referee: Abdur Rahman Dhali (Bangladesh)

Bhutan  1–0    Nepal
Attendance: 1800
Referee: Hussain Sinan (Maldives)

Maldives  0–2  Bangladesh
Attendance: 1559
Referee: Ugyen Dorji (Bhutan)

Nepal    2–0  Maldives
Attendance: 6511
Referee: Pratik Mondal (India)

India  3–0  Bhutan
Attendance: 4400
Referee: Laba Khatri (Nepal)

India  2–1  Maldives
Report
Attendance: 3274
Referee: Abdur Rahman Dhali (Bangladesh)

Bangladesh  1–2    Nepal
Attendance: 2513
Referee: Farook M. Irshad (Sri Lanka)

Bhutan  0–2  Bangladesh
Attendance: 4140
Referee: Laba Khatri (Nepal)

Nepal    2–0  India

Winner

edit
 2nd SAFF U-18 Championship 2017 
   
Nepal
Second title

Awards

edit

The following awards were given for the 2017 SAFF U-18 Championship.

FIFA Fair Play Award Golden Boot Award
  Bhutan   Jafar Iqbal

Goalscorers

edit
5 Goals
3 Goals
2 Goals
1 Goal

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "SAFF U18 Draw held". Daily Sun. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Sri Lanka withdraws its participation from SAFF U18 Championship". Goal Nepal. 6 September 2017.
  3. ^ "SAFF U18 Championship Format Changed". The Daily Star. 11 September 2017.
  4. ^ "SAFF U18 Championship To Be Played In Round Robin Format". Goal Nepal. 11 September 2017. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.