View source for 2008 SAFF Championship

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox international football competition
| tourney_name =
| year = 2008
| othertitles =
| Image = SAFF2008.JPG
| size = 
| caption = 
| country = Maldives
| country2 = Sri Lanka
| dates = 3–14 June
| finalists = 8
| venues = 2
| cities = 2
| champion = Maldives
| count = 1
| second = India
| third = 
| matches = 15
| goals = 43
| attendance = 
| top_scorer = {{flagicon|AFG|2004}} [[H. A. Habib]] (4 goals)<ref name="India 0 - 1 Maldives: New champions">http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=2011 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307135415/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=2011 |date=7 March 2012 }} India 0 – 1 Maldives: New champions</ref> 
| player = {{flagicon|MDV}} [[Ali Ashfaq]]
| prevseason = [[2005 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup|2005]]
| nextseason = [[2009 SAFF Championship|2009]]
|updated  =30 March 2019
}}
The '''2008 [[SAFF Championship]]''' was held in [[Malé]], [[Maldives]] and [[Colombo]], [[Sri Lanka]] between 3 and 14 June 2008. 

Initially, the tournament was due to be held in 2007 but was postponed to 2008.

== Venues ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" |Stadiums 
|-
![[Colombo]]
![[Malé]]
|-
|[[Sugathadasa Stadium]]
|[[Rasmee Dhandu Stadium]]
|-
|Capacity:'''25,000'''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldstadiums.com/asia/countries/sri_lanka.shtml |title = World Stadiums - Stadiums in Sri Lanka  |access-date=12 August 2021 |archive-date=21 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621155045/http://www.worldstadiums.com/asia/countries/sri_lanka.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|Capacity:'''11,850'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Maldiven - New Radiant SC - Resultaten, programma's, selectie, foto's, videos en nieuws - Soccerway|url=https://int.soccerway.com/teams/maldives/new-radiant/3856/|access-date=11 August 2021|work=soccerway.com}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Sugatadasa Stadium.jpg|200px]]
|[[File:Galolhu_Dhandu.jpg|200px]]
|-
!Host city of [[Sri Lanka]]
!Host city of [[Maldives]]
|-
!{{location map+| Sri Lanka |float=center |width=200 |caption=| places={{Location map~|Sri Lanka|lat=6.9480|long=79.8686|position=right|label=[[Colombo]]}}
}}
!{{location map+| Maldives |float=center |width=100 |caption=| places={{Location map~|Maldives|lat=4.1740|long=73.5130|position=right|label=[[Malé]]}}
}}
|}
==Squads==
{{main article|2008 SAFF Championship squads}}

==Group stage==

===Group A===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|res_col_header=Q
|show_positions=n
|sortable_table=y

|team1=IND|name_IND={{fb|IND}}
|team2=MDV|name_MDV={{fb|Maldives}}
|team3=NEP|name_NEP={{fb|NEP}}
|team4=PAK|name_PAK={{fb|PAK}}
|win_IND=3|draw_IND=0|loss_IND=0|gf_IND=7|ga_IND=1
|win_MDV=2|draw_MDV=0|loss_MDV=1|gf_MDV=7|ga_MDV=2
|win_NEP=1|draw_NEP=0|loss_NEP=2|gf_NEP=5|ga_NEP=9
|win_PAK=0|draw_PAK=0|loss_PAK=3|gf_PAK=2|ga_PAK=9

|col_Q=#ccffcc|text_Q=
|result1=Q|result2=Q
|update=complete|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/saffgold08.html RSSSF]
}}

{{football box
  | date = 3 June 2008
  | time = 16:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|India}}
  | score = 4–0
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115238/http://www.maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1962 Report]<br />[https://web.archive.org/web/20080620124054/http://www.socceragenepal.com.np/newsoccer/news/news.php?action=new Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Nepal}}
  | goals1 = [[N.P. Pradeep|Pradeep]] {{goal|26}}<br />[[Bhaichung Bhutia|Bhutia]] {{goal|34}}<br />[[Sunil Chhetri|Chhetri]]  {{goal|67}}<br />[[Sushil Kumar Singh|S. K. Singh]] {{goal|83}}
  | goals2 = 
  | stadium = [[Rasmee Dhandu Stadium]], [[Malé]]
  | attendance = 
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 3 June 2008
  | time = 21:00  
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Maldives}}
  | score = 3–0
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120730190411/http://www.maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1965 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Pakistan}}
  | goals1 = [[Mohamed Shifan|Shifan]] {{goal|45+2}}<br />[[Ahmed Thoriq|Thoriq]] {{goal|47}}<br />[[Naveed Akram|Akram]] {{goal|90+|o.g.}}
  | goals2 = 
  | stadium = [[Rasmee Dhandu Stadium]], [[Malé]]
  | attendance = 15,000
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 5 June 2008
  | time = 16:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|India}}
  | score = 2–1 
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115237/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1974 Report]<br />[http://www.footiemag.de/matches_25566_pakistan_vs_india_05-06-2008.html Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Pakistan}}
  | goals1 =[[N.P. Pradeep|Pradeep]] {{goal|25}} <br />[[Steven Dias|Dias]] {{goal|45+1}}
  | goals2 = [[Adnan Ahmed]] {{goal|88}}
  | stadium = [[Rasmee Dhandu Stadium]], [[Malé]]
  | attendance = 
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 5 June 2008
  | time = 21:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Maldives}}
  | score = 4–1 
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115248/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1977 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Nepal}}
  | goals1 = [[Ismail Mohamed (football player)|Mohamed]] {{goal|9||46}}<br />[[Ibrahim Fazeel|Fazeel]] {{goal|50||62}}
  | goals2 = [[Vishad Gouchan|Gouchan]] {{goal|10}}
  | stadium = [[Rasmee Dhandu Stadium]], [[Malé]]
  | attendance = 8,000
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 7 June 2008
  | time = 16:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Pakistan}}
  | score = 1–4
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115254/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1982 Report]<br />[http://www.footiemag.de/matches_25578_pakistan_vs_nepal_07-06-2008.html Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Nepal}}
  | goals1 = [[Samar Ishaq|Ishaq]] {{goal|52}}
  | goals2 = [[Raju Tamang|Tamang]] {{goal|3}}<br />[[Nirajan Rayamajhi|Rayamajhi]] {{goal|5}}<br />[[Ju Manu Rai|Rai]] {{goal|67||86}}
  | stadium = [[Rasmee Dhandu Stadium]], [[Malé]]
  | attendance = 
  | referee =
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 7 June 2008
  | time = 21:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Maldives}}
  | score = 0–1
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115301/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1986 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|India}}
  | goals1 = 
  | goals2 = [[Gouramangi Singh|Singh]] {{goal|14}}
  | stadium = [[Rasmee Dhandu Stadium]], [[Malé]]
  | attendance = 10,000
  | referee = 
}}

===Group B===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|res_col_header=Q
|show_positions=n
|sortable_table=y

|team1=SRI|name_SRI={{fb|SRI}}
|team2=BHU|name_BHU={{fb|BHU}}
|team3=BAN|name_BAN={{fb|BAN}}
|team4=AFG|name_AFG={{fb|AFG|2004}}
|win_SRI=2|draw_SRI=1|loss_SRI=0|gf_SRI=5|ga_SRI=2
|win_BHU=1|draw_BHU=1|loss_BHU=1|gf_BHU=4|ga_BHU=4
|win_BAN=0|draw_BAN=2|loss_BAN=1|gf_BAN=3|ga_BAN=4
|win_AFG=0|draw_AFG=2|loss_AFG=1|gf_AFG=5|ga_AFG=7

|col_Q=#ccffcc|text_Q=
|result1=Q|result2=Q
|update=complete|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/saffgold08.html RSSSF]
}}

{{football box
  | date = 4 June 2008
  | time = 16:30
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Bangladesh}}
  | score = 1–1
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115255/http://www.maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1971 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Bhutan}}
  | goals1 = [[Arup Kumar Baidya|Baidya]] {{goal|27}}
  | goals2 = [[Nima Sangath|Sangay]] {{goal|79}}
  | stadium = [[Sugathadasa Stadium]], [[Colombo]]
  | attendance = 
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 4 June 2008
  | time = 19:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Sri Lanka}}
  | score = 2–2 
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20080610045551/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5F0EC71C-9951-4D57-B53C-59C0B6AD9778.htm Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Afghanistan|2004}}
  | goals1 = [[Chathura Gunarathna|Gunarathna]] {{goal|8}}<br/>[[Channa Ediri Bandanage|Ediri]] {{goal|75|pen.}}
  | goals2 = [[H. A. Habib]] {{goal|8||49}}
  | stadium = [[Sugathadasa Stadium]], [[Colombo]]
  | attendance = 
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 6 June 2008
  | time = 16:30
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Bangladesh}}
  | score = 2–2 
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115302/http://www.maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1981 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Afghanistan|2004}}
  | goals1 = [[Jahid Hasan Ameli|Ameli]] {{goal|51|pen.}}<br/>[[Mamunul Islam Mamun|Mamunul]] {{goal|75}} 
  | goals2 = [[H. A. Habib]] {{goal|9}}<br/>[[Mustafa Hadid|Hadid]] {{goal|22}}<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115302/http://www.maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1981 "Sri Lanka bags first win, Bangladesh hits another blow"].</ref>
  | stadium = [[Sugathadasa Stadium]], [[Colombo]]
  | attendance = 
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 6 June 2008
  | time = 19:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Sri Lanka}}
  | score = 2–0 
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115302/http://www.maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1981 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Bhutan}}
  | goals1 = [[Chathura Gunarathna|Gunarathna]] {{goal|25||37}}
  | goals2 = 
  | stadium = [[Sugathadasa Stadium]], [[Colombo]]
  | attendance = 
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 8 June 2008
  | time = 17:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Afghanistan|2004}}
  | score = 1–3 
  | report =[https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115312/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1991 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Bhutan}}
  | goals1 = [[H. A. Habib]] {{goal|88}}
  | goals2 = [[Yeshey Dorji|Dorji]] {{goal|13}}<br/>[[Yeshey Gyeltshen|Gyeltshen]] {{goal|31||80}}
  | stadium = [[Sugathadasa Stadium]], [[Colombo]]
  | attendance = 
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 8 June 2008
  | time = 19:30
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|Sri Lanka}}
  | score = 1–0
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115312/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=1991 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Bangladesh}}
  | goals1 = [[Mohamed Rawme Mohideen|Mohideen]] {{goal|71}}
  | goals2 = 
  | stadium = [[Sugathadasa Stadium]], [[Colombo]]
  | attendance = 
  | referee = 
}}

==Knockout phase==

===Bracket===
{{#invoke:RoundN|N4
|style=white-space:nowrap|widescore=yes|bold_winner=high|3rdplace=no|color=yes
|RD1=[[#Semi-finals|Semi-finals]]
|RD2=[[#Final|Final]]
<!--Date-Place|Team 1|Score 1|Team 2|Score 2-->
<!--semi-finals -->
|11 Jun – [[Rasmee Dhandu Stadium|Malé]]|{{fb|IND}}|2|{{fb|BHU}}|1
|11 Jun – [[Sugathadasa Stadium|Colombo]] |{{fb|MDV}}|1|{{fb|SRI}}|0
<!--final -->
|14 Jun – [[Sugathadasa Stadium|Colombo]] |{{fb|IND}} |0|{{fb|MDV}}|1
}}

===Semi-finals===
{{football box
  | date = 11 June 2008
  | time = 16:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|India}}
  | score = 2–1 ([[Extra time|a.e.t.]])
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115323/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=2001 Report]<br/>[http://www.footiemag.de/matches_25607_india_vs_bhutan_11-06-2008.html Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|BHU}}
  | goals1 = [[Sunil Chhetri|Chhetri]] {{goal|30}}<br/>[[Gouramangi Singh|Gouramangi]]  {{goal|120}}
  | goals2 = [[Kinley Dorji (footballer)|Dorji]] {{goal|18}}
  | stadium = [[Rasmee Dhandu Stadium]], [[Malé]]
  | attendance = 12,000
  | referee = 
}}
----
{{football box
  | date = 11 June 2008
  | time = 19:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|SRI}}
  | score =  0–1
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115329/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=2005 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Maldives}}
  | goals1 = 
  | goals2 = [[Ibrahim Fazeel|Fazeel]] {{goal|70}}
  | stadium = 	[[Sugathadasa Stadium]], [[Colombo]]
  | attendance = 12,000
  | referee = 
}}

===Final===

{{football box
  | date = 14 June 2008
  | time = 19:00
  | team1 = {{fb-rt|India}}
  | score =  0–1
  | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120307135415/http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/?page=story&id=2011 Report]
  | team2 = {{fb|Maldives}}
  | goals1 = 
  | goals2 = [[Mukhthar Naseer|Naseer]] {{goal|87}}
  | stadium = 	[[Sugathadasa Stadium]], [[Colombo]]
  | attendance = ~20,000
  | referee = 
}}

==Champion==
{{winners|fb|SAFF Championship 2008|Maldives|First}}

==Statistics==

===Goalscorers===

;4 goals
* {{flagicon|AFG|2004}} [[H. A. Habib]]
;3 goals
* {{flagicon|MDV}} [[Ibrahim Fazeel]]<ref name="India 0 - 1 Maldives: New champions"/>
* {{flagicon|SRI}} [[Chathura Gunarathna]]
;2 goals
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* {{flagicon|NEP}} [[Ju Manu Rai]]
* {{flagicon|BHU}} [[Yeshey Gyeltshen]]
* {{flagicon|MDV}} [[Ismail Mohamed (football player)|Ismail Mohamed]]
* {{flagicon|IND}} [[Pappachen Pradeep]]
* {{flagicon|IND}} [[Sunil Chhetri]]
* {{flagicon|IND}} [[Gouramangi Singh]]
{{div col end}}
;1 goal
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* {{flagicon|MDV}} [[Ahmed Thoriq]]
* {{flagicon|BHU}} [[Nima Sangay]]
* {{flagicon|BHU}} [[Kinley Dorji (footballer)|Kinley Dorji]]
* {{flagicon|BHU}} [[Yeshey Dorji]]
* {{flagicon|MDV}} [[Mukhthar Naseer]]
* {{flagicon|AFG|2004}} [[Mustafa Hadid]]
* {{flagicon|NEP}} [[Raju Tamang]]
* {{flagicon|NEP}} [[Nirajan Rayamajhi]]
* {{flagicon|NEP}} Vishad Gouchan
* {{flagicon|IND}} [[Steven Dias]]
* {{flagicon|IND}} [[Bhaichung Bhutia]]
* {{flagicon|IND}} [[Sushil Kumar Singh]]
* {{flagicon|MDV}} [[Mohamed Shifan]]
* {{flagicon|BAN}} [[Arup Kumar Baidya]]
* {{flagicon|BAN}} [[Jahid Hasan Ameli]]
* {{flagicon|BAN}} [[Mamunul Islam Mamun]]
* {{flagicon|PAK}} [[Adnan Ahmed]]
* {{flagicon|PAK}} [[Samar Ishaq]]
* {{flagicon|SRI}} [[Channa Ediri Bandanage]]
{{div col end}}
;1 own goal
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* {{flagicon|PAK}} [[Naveed Akram]]
{{div col end}}

===Other statistics===
*'''Most goals scored by''': [[Maldives national football team|Maldives]] and [[India national football team|India]] (9 goals)
*'''Fewest goals scored by''': [[Pakistan national football team|Pakistan]] (2 goals)
*'''Most goals conceded by''': [[Nepal national football team|Nepal]] and [[Pakistan national football team|Pakistan]] (9 goals)
*'''Fewest goals conceded by''': [[Maldives national football team|Maldives]] (2 goals)
*'''Fastest goal by''': [[Raju Tamang]] for [[Nepal national football team|Nepal]] against [[Pakistan national football team|Pakistan]] ({{goal|3}})

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121218101634/http://www.the-afc.tv/ Watch Live Streaming of All Asian Football]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080529004248/http://saffchampionship2008.net/ Official Website of SAFF Cup 2008]
*[https://www.sassco.co.uk/articles/indias-football-team-in-the-saff-championships-in-maldives-2008/ Independent report of the tournament's early games]

{{SAFF Championship}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:SAFF Championship, 2008}}
[[Category:SAFF Championship|2008]]
[[Category:2008 SAFF Championship]]
[[Category:International association football competitions hosted by Sri Lanka|2008]]
[[Category:International association football competitions hosted by the Maldives|2008]]
[[Category:2007–08 in Sri Lankan football]]
[[Category:2008 in Maldivian football]]
[[Category:2008 in Asian football]]
[[Category:2007–08 in Pakistani football]]
[[Category:2008 in Nepalese sport]]
[[Category:2008 in Bhutanese football]]
[[Category:2008 in Bangladeshi football]]
[[Category:2008 in Afghan football]]
[[Category:2007–08 in Indian football]]