2019 Panda Cup

The 2019 Panda Cup was the sixth edition of the international youth association football competition.

2019 Panda Cup

Tournament details
Host country	China
City	Chengdu
Dates	25–29 May 2019
Teams	4 (from 2 confederations)
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	South Korea
Runners-up	Thailand
Third place	New Zealand
Fourth place	China
Tournament statistics
Matches played	6
Goals scored	15 (2.5 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Hwang JaeHwan
← 2018 2023 →

The tournament was hosted in Chengdu between 25 and 29 May 2019, and was include an international youth football development forum as part of the event. Previously held as an under-19 event, Chengdu Football Association announced that the 2019 edition would be an under-18 event.^[1][2]

South Korea finished top of the standings for the tournament but were later stripped of the title following prizegiving celebrations which were considered offensive and disrespectful to both the tournament hosts and the Chinese people.^[3][4]

Participating teams

In May 2018, it was announced that hosts China had invited South Korea, New Zealand and Thailand to participate in the 2019 Panda Cup.^[2] Thailand opted to name an U-18 side in preparation for the 2019 AFF Under-18 Cup.,^[5] as did China and South Korea, while New Zealand elected to send their U17 side in preparation for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup later in the year,^[6][7]

Team	Confederation
China (host)	AFC
South Korea	AFC
New Zealand	OFC
Thailand	AFC

Venues

Chengdu	Shuangliu Sports Centre
Shuangliu Sports Centre
30.5704°N 103.8957°E / 30.5704; 103.8957 (Shuangliu Sports Centre)
Capacity: 26,000

Matches

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	South Korea	3	3	0	0	9	1	+8	9
2	Thailand	3	2	0	1	4	1	+3	6
3	New Zealand	3	1	0	2	2	5	−3	3
4	China	3	0	0	3	0	7	−7	0

Source: www.thecfa.cn
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head to head; 3) Goal difference; 4) Number of goals scored;

All times are China Standard Time (UTC+08:00)

South Korea	2–1	Thailand
Heo Yool 3' Cho Hyun Taek 10'	[8]	84' Anatcha Thepsiri

25 May 2019 (2019-05-25)

15:00

Chengdu Shuangliu Sports Center

China	0–2	New Zealand
	[9]	43' Jesse Randall 72' (pen.) Matthew Garbett

25 May 2019 (2019-05-25)

19:00

Chengdu Shuangliu Sports Center

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New Zealand	0–4	South Korea
		36' Kim Geon-oh 38' Lee Jin-yong 49' Kwon Hyeok-kyu 90' An Jae-jun

27 May 2019 (2019-05-27)

15:00

Chengdu Shuangliu Sports Center

Thailand	2–0	China
Achitpol Keereerom 4' Sitthinan Rungrueang 42'	[10]

27 May 2019 (2019-05-27)

19:00

Chengdu Shuangliu Sports Center

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New Zealand	0–1	Thailand
		2' Achitpol Keereerom

29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)

15:00

Chengdu Shuangliu Sports Center

South Korea	3–0	China
Hwang JaeHwan 52' 56' 79'

29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)

19:00

Chengdu Shuangliu Sports Center

Goalscorers

3 goals

• Hwang Jae-hwan

2 goals

• Achitpol Keereerom

1 goal

• Heo Yool
• Cho Hyun-taek
• Kim Geon-oh
• Lee Jin-yong
• Kwon Hyeok-kyu
• An Jae-jun
• Anatcha Thepsiri
• Sitthinan Rungrueang
• Jesse Randall
• Matthew Garbett

Controversies

Following the completion of the competition, the South Korea team was criticised for disrespecting the trophy. A South Korean player was seen to place the trophy on the ground and place his foot on it. The Panda Cup organising committee issued a formal statement on the issue and demanded an apology from the players and the South Korean representatives.^[11][12] South Korea were subsequently stripped of the title despite the apology.^[13]