2003 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup Explained

Tourney Name:South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup
Year:2003
Country:Bangladesh
Dates:10–20 January
Venues:1
Cities:1
Champion:BAN
Count:1
Second:MDV
Third:IND
Fourth:PAK
Matches:16
Goals:39
Top Scorer: Sarfraz Rasool (4 goals)
Player: Rajani Kanta Barman[1]
Prevseason:1999
Nextseason:2005

The 2003 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh between 10 January 2003 and 20 January 2003. All matches were played at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. Originally scheduled to be held between 26 January 2002 and 5 February 2002, the tournament was postponed due to the suspension of Bangladesh Football Federation by FIFA. Afghanistan were not in the draw, but were included in the tournament following an AFC recommendation to do so. It was also Bhutan's first tournament.[2]

The final was contested by Bangladesh and the Maldives. Ali Umar had levelled in the second half after Kanchan had given Bangladesh the lead. The match went to penalties and Asraf Lufty had missed from the spot for the Maldives. Mohammed Sujan kept his nerve to score the final penalty giving Bangladesh a 5–3 victory, and with it, their first SAFF Cup championship. Pakistan's Safraz Rasool was top goal scorer.

Venue

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

Dhaka
Bangabandhu National Stadium
Capacity: 36,000

Squads

See main article: article and 2003 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup squads.

Group stage

Group A

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Group B

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Knockout phase

Semi-finals

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Final

Goalscorers

4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New SAFF kings. 15 January 2024. 21 January 2003. The Daily Star. 24 March 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240324140449/https://www.thedailystar.net/news/new-saff-kings. live.
  2. Web site: SAFF Championship 2003. 16 April 2023. RSSSF. 24 March 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240324140707/https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/saffgold02.html. live.