The 2008 AFC Challenge Cup final was a football match that took place on 13 August 2008 at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi to determine the winner of the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup. India defeated title holders Tajikistan in the final by 4–1 and qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. It was the first time since 1984 that they qualified for a major tournament. Sunil Chhetri scored his first international hat-trick in this match. Indian forward Bhaichung Bhutia scored the other goal meanwhile the lone strike for the Tajiks was by Fatkhullo Fatkhulloyev.

Background Tajikistan was playing in their second consecutive final and were the defending champions after their win over Sri Lanka in 2006. Dzhomikhon Mukhidinov scored a brace in that match to give Tajiks a resounding 4–0 win over the Lankans, while the remaining goals were scored by Khurshed Makhmudov and Numonjon Hakimov. For India it was their first appearance in a Continental final since the victory over South Korea in 1962 Asian Games final.

Venue Due to incessant rains in Hyderabad in the days leading up to the final, the AFC changed the venue of the final and the third place play-off to the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi. New Delhi Ambedkar Stadium Capacity: 20,000

Route to the final

India India qualified directly to the main tournament as the hosts and did not have to play the qualifying rounds. They were placed in the Group A along with Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan national teams. Indians opened their campaign with a narrow 1–0 win over Afghanistan thanks to the stoppage time winner from Climax Lawrence. In the next match they were held to a 1–1 draw by Tajikistan. Tajik striker Yusuf Rabiev broke the deadlock in the 11th minute but goalkeeper Alisher Tuychiev scored an unfortunate own goal in the second-half to ensure the tie ended in a stalemate. The final match of the group stage was a must win against Turkmenistan in order for India to qualify to the semi-finals. Bhaichung Bhutia scored a brace helping his team secure a 2–1 win. The opponents for India in the semi-final was Myanmar and once again secured a narrow 1–0 win with Sunil Chhetri scoring the winner in 82nd minute of the match.

Tajikistan For Tajikistan the route to the final was more difficult as they have to play the qualifying rounds in order to reach the main tournament. They were placed in the Group B for the qualifiers along with Bhutan, Brunei and the hosts for the round the Philippines. All the matches were played at Barotac Nuevo Plaza Field in Iloilo City. They defeated Bhutan 3–1 and Brunei by the score of 4–0. The match against Philippines ended in a goalless draw which meant Tajikistan topped their group in qualification stage and progressed to the main competition.

Tajikistan got placed alongside hosts India and their Central Asian neighbours Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in Group A of the main tournament. Their first game ended in a 0–0 draw with Turkmenistan, followed by a one-all draw against India. But in the final match day Tajiks demolished Afghanistan 4–0 and qualified for the semi-final. They faced North Korea in the semi-final and won by a solitary goal scored by Dzhomikhon Mukhidinov six minutes before the end of first half. RoundOpponentResult Qualifying roundOpponentResultAutomatic qualifierAutomatic qualifierMatch 13–1Match 20–0Match 34–0Final standingOpponentResult Group stageOpponentResult1–0Match 10–01–1Match 21–12–1Match 34–0Team321042+27312051+45311162+443003010−100Final standingTeam321042+27312051+45311162+443003010-100OpponentResultKnockout phaseOpponentResult1–0Semi-finals1–0

Match details

GK 1 Subrata PalRB 17 Surkumar Singh IrungbamCB 19 Gouramangi SinghCB 5 Anwar AliLB 30 Samir Naik DM 20 Climax LawrenceRM 23 Steven Dias CM 7 Pappachen Pradeep LM 8 Renedy SinghCF 15 Bhaichung Bhutia (c) CF 11 Sunil ChhetriSubstitutes:DF 2Govin Singh MF 4Krishnan Nair Ajayan MF 6Baldeep SinghDF 12Deepak MondalFW 18Sushilkumar Singh FW 21Abhishek YadavDF 22Syed Rahim NabiGK 24Subhasish Roy ChowdhuryMF 25Clifford Miranda MF 27Mehrajuddin Wadoo MF 28Thomchok Singh BungoHead Coach: Bob Houghton GK 1 Alisher TuychievDF 2 Daler TukhtasunovDF 3 Naim Nasirov DF 6 Davron ErgashevMF 9 Anvar NorkulovFW 11 Numonjon Hakimov DF 12 Eraj Rajabov DF 17 Sokhib Suvonkulov MF 18 Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev FW 19 Dzhomikhon MukhidinovMF 22 Yusuf Rabiev (c)Substitutes:MF14Samad Shohzukhurov DF15Zafardzhon ZuvaydovGK16Mirali MurodovDF24Suhrob MansurovDF27Isomiddin QurvonovFW29Dzhakhongir Dzhalilov DF31 Eradzh KholovGK40Amonsho SodatsayrovHead Coach: Pulad Qadirov

Assistant referees: Tamam Hamdoun (Syria) Mohammad Jaber A. H. Dharman (Qatar)

Fourth official: Tayeb Shamsuzzaman (Bangladesh)

Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Maximum of three substitutions.

See also 2008 AFC Challenge Cup

References