2006 AFC Challenge Cup

The 2006 AFC Challenge Cup was held between 1 and 16 April 2006 in Bangladesh. Sixteen teams were split into four groups, the top two in each group qualifying for the quarterfinals, and from then on a straight knockout contest. There was no qualification stage. The cup winner was Tajikistan. The fair play award was won by Sri Lanka and Tajik Ibrahim Rabimov won the most valuable player award.^[1]

2006 AFC Challenge Cup

Tournament details
Host country	Bangladesh
Dates	1–16 April
Venue(s)	3 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions	Tajikistan (1st title)
Runners-up	Sri Lanka
Tournament statistics
Matches played	31
Goals scored	82 (2.65 per match)
Attendance	150,150 (4,844 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Fahed Attal (8 goals)
Best player(s)	Ibrahim Rabimov
2008 →

Selection of teams

The AFC classed seventeen nations as emerging associations, which need time to develop their football.^[2] They were selected in August 2005 to take part. Laos, Mongolia, and Timor-Leste were initially selected to participate, but were later replaced by Bangladesh and India of the developing associations class, reducing the number of participating teams to sixteen.

Afghanistan  Bhutan  Brunei  Cambodia  Chinese Taipei  Guam  Kyrgyzstan

Laos (Removed)  Macau  Mongolia (Removed)    Nepal  Pakistan  Palestine  Philippines

Sri Lanka  Tajikistan  Timor-Leste (Removed) Replacements  Bangladesh  India U20

Host and stadiums

The AFC decided at its annual meeting, that Bangladesh would host the opening ceremony and that Nepal would host the final unless Bangladesh makes it into the last two, in which case it would be held in Dhaka, its capital.^[3][4] It was originally planned that the teams in Groups A and B would play their games in Nepal and that teams in Groups C and D would play in Bangladesh, but due to the political unrest that shook Nepal, it was decided that only Bangladesh would host the tournament.^[5][6][7][8] The Challenge Cup was originally scheduled to take place between 26 March to 9 April 2006 but was changed to avoid clashes with Bangladesh's Independence Day on 26 March.^[9] The two stadia that were selected to be used during this tournament were: the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka and the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong. However, the Bangladesh Army Stadium in Dhaka was later used to make-up the matches that were abandoned due to heavy rain.

Venues

Dhaka		Chittagong
Bangabandhu National Stadium	Bangladesh Army Stadium	M. A. Aziz Stadium
Capacity: 36,000	Capacity: 20,000	Capacity: 40,000
Dhaka Chittagong

Teams

Some teams did not take part with their 'main' national squad, as noted below:

• India decided to field their under-20 team in preparation for the AFC Youth Championship they were later hosting.
• Kyrgyzstan took part with a young squad, made up mostly of players from their under-20 team which had qualified for the AFC Youth Championship.^[10]

Squads

Main article: 2006 AFC Challenge Cup squads

Group stage

All times are Bangladesh Standard Time (BST) – UTC+6

Key to colours in group tables
Top two placed teams advance to the quarter-finals

Tie-breaking criteria

Where two or more teams end the group stage with the same number of points, their ranking is determined by the following criteria:

1. points earned in the matches between the teams concerned;
2. goal difference in the matches between the teams concerned;
3. number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;
4. goal difference in all group matches;
5. number of goals scored in all group matches;
6. kicks from the penalty mark (if only two teams are level and they are both on the field of play);
7. fewer yellow and red cards received in the group matches;
8. drawing of lots by the organising committee.

Group A

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
India U20	3	1	2	0	3	1	+2	5
Chinese Taipei	3	1	2	0	3	2	+1	5
Philippines	3	0	2	1	2	3	−1	2
Afghanistan	3	0	2	1	3	5	−2	2

Source: RSSSF

India U20	2–0	Afghanistan
Vimal 35', 60'	Report

1 April 2006

15:30

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,500

Referee: Mahmood Al-Ghatrifi (Oman)

Chinese Taipei	1–0	Philippines
Chuang Wei-lun 20'	Report

1 April 2006

18:00

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 4,000

Referee: Lee Gi-Young (Korea Republic)

---

Philippines	1–1	India U20
Valeroso 19'	Report	Vimal 8'

3 April 2006

15:30

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Salem Mujghef (Jordan)

Afghanistan	2–2	Chinese Taipei
Qadami 20', 23'	Report	Chuang Wei-lun 48' Liang Chien-wei 73'

3 April 2006

18:00

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,500

Referee: Lee Gi-Young (Korea Republic)

---

India U20	0–0	Chinese Taipei
	Report

5 April 2006

15:30

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Ram Krishna Gosh (Bangladesh)

Philippines	1–1	Afghanistan
Valeroso 59'	Report	Maqsood 28'

5 April 2006

18:00

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 3,000

Referee: Salem Mujghef (Jordan)

Group B

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Sri Lanka	3	2	1	0	3	1	+2	7
Nepal	3	1	1	1	4	3	+1	4
Brunei	3	1	1	1	2	2	0	4
Bhutan	3	0	1	2	0	3	−3	1

Source: RSSSF

Sri Lanka	1–0	Brunei
Kasun 74'	Report

2 April 2006

15:30

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Rustam Saidov (Uzbekistan)

Nepal	2–0	Bhutan
Pradeep 52', 68'	Report

2 April 2006

18:00

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 3,500

Referee: Ram Krishna Gosh (Bangladesh)

---

Bhutan	0–1	Sri Lanka
	Report	Karu 45'

4 April 2006

15:30

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 0

Referee: Rustam Saidov (Uzbekistan)

Brunei	2–1	Nepal
Adie 11' Riwandi 42'	Report	Tashi 60'

4 April 2006

18:00

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,500

Referee: Mahmood Al-Ghatrifi (Oman)

---

Sri Lanka	1–1	Nepal
Izzadeen 19'	Report	Pradeep 75' (pen.)

6 April 2006

15:30

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,500

Referee: Lee Gi-Young (Korea Republic)

Bhutan	0–0	Brunei
	Report

6 April 2006

18:00

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Mahmood Al-Ghatrifi (Oman)

Group C

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Palestine	3	2	1	0	16	1	+15	7
Bangladesh	3	2	1	0	6	2	+4	7
Cambodia	3	1	0	2	4	6	−2	3
Guam	3	0	0	3	0	17	−17	0

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Palestine	11–0	Guam
Keshkesh 6' Attal 14', 20', 25', 32', 45+1', 86' Atura 22' Al Amour 39' Al-Kord 59', 67'	Report

1 April 2006

15:30

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 3,000

Referee: Ala Abdul Kadir Nema (Iraq)

Bangladesh	2–1	Cambodia
Alfaz 31' Ameli 64'	Report	C. Rithy 68'

1 April 2006

18:00

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 35,000

Referee: Tan Hai (China PR)

---

Cambodia	0–4	Palestine
	Report	Keshkesh 10' Al-Sweirki 12', 75' Attal 30'

3 April 2006

15:30

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 2,500

Referee: Ala Abdul Kadir Nema (Iraq)

Guam	0–3	Bangladesh
	Report	Ameli 49' Abul 83', 85'

3 April 2006

18:00

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 18,000

Referee: Win Cho (Myanmar)

---

Palestine	1–1	Bangladesh
Attal 30'	Report	Tapu 55'

5 April 2006

15:30

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 22,000

Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

Cambodia	3–0	Guam
S. Buntheang 37' Kosal 40' K. Kumpheak 63'	Report

6 April 2006

14:00

Bangladesh Army Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 500

Referee: Win Cho (Myanmar)

Group D

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Tajikistan	3	2	0	1	6	1	+5	6
Kyrgyzstan	3	2	0	1	3	1	+2	6
Pakistan	3	1	1	1	3	4	−1	4
Macau	3	0	1	2	2	8	−6	1

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Tajikistan	4–0	Macau
Mahmudov 9' Rabiev 13' Rabimov 56' Khojaev 77'	Report

2 April 2006

15:30

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

Kyrgyzstan	0–1	Pakistan
	Report	Essa 59'

2 April 2006

18:00

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 2,500

Referee: Tayeb Shamsuzzaman (Bangladesh)

---

Pakistan	0–2	Tajikistan
	Report	Hakimov 14' Irgashev 20'

4 April 2006

15:30

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: Tan Hai (China PR)

---

Tajikistan	0–1	Kyrgyzstan
	Report	Krasnov 22'

6 April 2006

14:00

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Ala Abdul Kadir Nema (Iraq)

Pakistan	2–2	Macau
Adeel 12' Essa 43'	Report	Chan Kin Seng 16', 52'

6 April 2006

16:00

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 1,000

Referee: Tayeb Shamsuzzaman (Bangladesh)

---

Macau	0–2	Kyrgyzstan
	Report	Ablakimov 35' Ishenbaev 58'

7 April 2006

14:00

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 1,000

Referee: Tan Hai (China PR)

Knockout stage

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	8 April - Chittagong
	Chinese Taipei	0
					12 April – Chittagong
	Sri Lanka	3
					Sri Lanka (PSO)	1 (5)
	9 April - Chittagong
					Nepal	1 (3)
	India U20	0
									16 April – Dhaka
	Nepal	3
									Sri Lanka	0
	9 April - Dhaka
									Tajikistan	4
	Palestine	0
					13 April - Dhaka
	Kyrgyzstan	1
					Kyrgyzstan	0
	10 April - Dhaka
					Tajikistan	2
	Bangladesh	1
	Tajikistan	6

Quarter-finals

Sri Lanka	3–0	Chinese Taipei
Izzadeen 44' Sanjaya 70' Ratnayaka 90'	Report

8 April 2006

15:30

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,500

Referee: Mahmood Al-Ghatrifi (Oman)

---

India U20	0–3	Nepal
	Report	Pradeep 16', 26' Basanta 28'

9 April 2006

15:30

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 3,000

Referee: Ram Krishna Gosh (Bangladesh)

---

Palestine	0–1	Kyrgyzstan
	Report	Djamshidov 90+1'

9 April 2006

15:30

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 150

Referee: Win Cho (Myanmar)

---

Tajikistan	6–1	Bangladesh
Rabimov 2' Mahmudov 20' Mukhidinov 31' Hakimov 51' Rabiev 65' Nematov 81'	Report	Alfaz 17'

10 April 2006

15:30

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 15,000

Referee: Ala Abdul Kadir Nema (Iraq)

Semi-finals

Sri Lanka	1–1	Nepal
Kasun 65'	Report	Basanta 82'
Penalties
Fuard Chathura Gunaratne Channa Ratnayaka	5 – 3	Anjan Tashi Nabin Pradeep

12 April 2006

15:30

MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

Attendance: 2,500

Referee: Lee Gi-Young (Korea Republic)

---

Kyrgyzstan	0–2	Tajikistan
	Report	Rabiev 51', 90+2'

13 April 2006

15:30

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Tan Hai (China PR)

Final

Main article: 2006 AFC Challenge Cup Final

Sri Lanka	0–4	Tajikistan
	Report	Mukhidinov 1', 61', 71'[note 1] Mahmudov 45'

16 April 2006

15:30

Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

Winner

2006 AFC Challenge Cup champions
Tajikistan First title

Awards

Fair Play Award			Golden Shoe			Most Valuable Player
Sri Lanka			Fahed Attal			Ibrahim Rabimov

Goalscorers

8 goals Fahed Attal 5 goals Pradeep Maharjan 4 goals Dzhomikhon Mukhidinov Yusuf Rabiev 3 goals Vimal Pariyar Khurshed Makhmudov 2 goals Hafizullah Qadami Alfaz Ahmed Zahid Hasan Ameli Mohamed Abul Hossain Chuang Wei-lun Chan Kin Seng Basanta Thapa Muhammad Essa Ziyad Al-Kord Ibrahim Al-Sweirki Ahmed Keshkesh Alvin Valeroso Kasun Jayasuriya Mohamed Izzadeen Numonjon Hakimov Ibrahim Rabimov

1 goal Sayed Maqsood Mehedi Hassan Tapu Adie Arsham Salleh Riwandi Wahit Sok Buntheang Keo Kosal Chan Rithy Kouch Sokumpheak Liang Chien-wei Roman Ablakimov Ruslan Djamshidov Azamat Ishenbaev Andrey Krasnov Tashi Tsering Adeel Ahmed Ismail Al-Amour Francisco Atura Sanjaya Pradeep Arachchige Chandradasa Karunaratne Jeewantha Dhammika Ratnayaka Odil Irgashev Rustam Khojaev Shujoat Nematov

Notes

1. Although the match summary indicates that Mukhidinov scored three goals, a match review article published by the AFC on 19 April 2006 indicates that he only scored two goals while teammate Numonjon Hakimov scored one goal.^[11]