according to the bracket on the website,the winner of Palestine vs Kyrgyztan plays the winner of tajikstan vs bangladesh.but i think theres a mix up or something.anyways i also hope your proven right.the fans want nothing less than the silverware
"The Kyrgyz team bound for the AFC Challenge Cup is young and drawn mostly from the youth squad which qualified for the AFC Youth Championship 2006." http://www.the-afc.com/english/comp...ws/default.asp?action=newsDetails&newsID=5151
DHAKA: An injury-time goal by substitute Ruslan Djamshidov helped Kyrgyzstan knock out favourites Palestine and reach the AFC Challenge Cup semifinals with a 1-0 victory at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Sunday. Djamshidov, who replaced Timur Valiev halfway through the second half, broke the deadlock of the quarterfinal seconds before the final whistle when the 27-year-old Shoro Bishkek midfielder placed a first-time shot into the far post from ten yards after meeting a low cross by Azamat Ishanbaev from the right. Kyrgyzstan, who got off to a losing start in the group stages, will take on winners of Monday's quarterfinal between hosts Bangladesh and Tajikistan in the semifinal. Palestine enjoyed superior ball possession but Kyrgyzstan defended doggedly to thwart the deadliest attack of the tournament featuring Fahed Attal. Palestine fullback Francisco Atura twice found Attal with teasing crosses from the left inside 20 minutes but the tournament top-scorer mistimed on both occasions. The central Asians were quick on counter attacks down the flanks and looked dangerous on set-pieces. They came close to snatch the lead three minutes from the breather but Palestine goalie Saleh Ramzi spectacularly fisted out Andrey Krasnov's header on a freekick by Igor Kudrenko. Palestine put pressure after the break but freekicks by Roberto Beshe and Ziyad Alkord went wide. Substitute Azamat Ishenbaev could have separated the two sides in the 70th minute but the Kyrgyzstan striker, having raced into the box chasing a through from Krasnov, lost the ball to Ramzi, who pulled off two more fine saves later to keep Palestine in the game. The best chance of the day fell to Palestine two minutes later but Attal and Mohanad's repeated attempts from handshaking distance during a corner by Alkord came off the defensive wall on the goalline. "Our strategy was based on counter attacks. We packed our defence and succeeded not to concede a goal first," admitted Kyrgyzstan coach Boris Podkorytov. "We waited for the goal and it came." Palestine coach Mohammed Sabah was frustrated and said spoiling too many chances cost them the defeat. "Kyrgyzstan defended very well. I think we dominated the match but we failed to score."
Ouch. I was tipping Palestine to take out the title at the beginning of the tournament. Going out in the quarters will be a major disappointment for them. Sounds like it was an exciting match though. Kyrgyzstan must be pretty happy with their win.
I tipped Tajikistan for the tournament, as they are the highest ranked team in my rankings system (Palestine and Kyrgyzstan being 2nd and 3rd). Obviously I ignored the FIFA ranking which ranks Tajikistan way too low. However, much will depend on whether they can withstand the pressure of playing in a hostile environment tomorrow against Bangladesh. They have won previously in Bangladesh (2-0), so history is on their side. This would then set up very unbalanced semi-finals, with Nepal v Sri Lanka in one, and Kyrgyzstan v Tajikistan in the other. Kyrgyzstan have already beaten Tajikistan 1-0 in the group stages, but Tajikistan had rested a number of their players in that match having already all but assured a place in the quarter-finals. Nepal and Sri Lanka drew their group match, but Nepal apparently had more possession, and wasted a number of chances. Their forwards now seem to have clicked at just the right time, and we may see Nepal take on Tajikistan in the final. However, Sri Lanka have also got into top gear at just the right time, demolishing previously unbeaten Taiwan 3-0 in the quarter-final. Any one of the five teams remaining is capable of reaching the final, but I feel it will be the winners of the second semi who go on to win the inaugural trophy. Of course, again, I will probably be proved wrong I predicted Palestine and India to win today. That is the beauty of football though, we never know what will happen next.
By all accounts, Nepal has totally dominated their games. The lack of finishing has been the big issue. I would not be surprised to see them challenge for the title, though they have always found a way to disappoint during pressure situations.
Yep, similar to ELO but with a few modifications. For example, all friendly matches are weighted the same (ELO differentiates between single friendlies and friendly tournaments) and all competitive games are weighted the same (qualifiers and finals matches). Also, it is possible for teams to pick up points for a "good defeat" to a good side. In this scenario, the winning team would remain on the same points. I am hoping to incorporate a few features from the FIFA ranking in in the not-too-distant future (in particular the dropping of old matches from the record), but it is difficult to get the right balance. http://www.theroonba.gama-cero.com.ar/rankingsworld.htm http://www.theroonba.gama-cero.com.ar/rankingsasi.htm In answer to Nepal Footy's quote, I would agree that Nepal has dominated their games so far, but if you look at the opposition, you will see that Bhutan, Brunei, Sri Lanka and India U-20 are not really in the same league as Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan. The final, should they reach it, will be their biggest test of character.
If Brunei had won and not draw against Bhutan , they would have been in the quarterfinal and Nepal been out Nepal draw against Sri Lanka in the group stage , so they should have a fair chance in getting to the semifinals. Sri Lanka also surprise with getting to the semifinals after a poor performance in the SAFF Championship in December where they lost all matches even to Afghanistan.
Tajikistan won 6-1 against Bangladesh in the last quarterfinals today. Semifinals : April 12 Sri Lanka - Nepal April 13 Kyrgyzstan - Tajikistan
I guess whichever 'stan wins that match is the red hot favourite to steamroll the final. Heavy half of the draw there, with Palestine as well.
Yes, considering Bangladesh is better than both Nepal and Sri Lanka, it looks like a Central Asian winner for the tournament. I think Nepal and Sri Lanka have won tournaments before (South Asian Cup), but the Central Asians have no silverware as far as I know. On another note, I was surprised that some countries chose not to take part, even though all their expenses were being paid for by AFC. The countries who chose not to compete were Laos, Mongolia and Timor-Leste. Laos are at least as good as Nepal, and would have had a chance of a quarter-final place, and the other two would have stood a chance of 3rd place finishes in their groups at least. Above all, the experience would have done them all good, especially Timor-Leste, who could have entered the FIFA rankings for the first time had they entered, leaving only Comoros to be ranked (By the way, Comoros should get some ranking points in August 2007, if they play in the Indian Ocean Island Games in Madagascar, though they may withdraw if Mayotte is allowed to play). Timor-Leste will now have to wait until November 2005 to enter the rankings, when they play the preliminary round group of the now-sponsorless South-East Asian Championship (ex-Tiger Cup) in Philippines. On another note still, Northern Marianas has applied to join the East Asian Football Federation, and ultimately plan to join the AFC and FIFA. They would thus become AFC's 47th member, though this still looks a long way off. It would be good for Guam, though, as it would provide them with somebody they had a realistic chance of beating. The teams have played twice before in 1998 in Palau, with one victory each (2-1 to Guam, 3-0 to Northern Marianas (although Guam apparently dominated this game)).
Semifinals : Sri Lanka - Nepal 1-1 ( 5-3 penalty kicks) Tajikistan - Kyrgyzstan 2-0 http://www.the-afc.com/english/media/default.asp?mnsection=media§ion=newsDetails&newsID=5638
DHAKA: Tajikistan lifted their first-ever title at continental level when they took the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup to Central Asia with a 4-0 thrashing of Sri Lanka in an anti-climax final at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Sunday. Dzhormikhon Muhidinov scored a brace while Khurshed Makhmudov and Numondzhin Hakimov added one goal apiece before a 5,000-strong crowd as Tajikistan displayed superior skill and strength to take absolute control. The final was played perhaps in the most soothing condition during the tournament following a light shower and Tajikistan got off to a dream start when Sri Lankan defender Sanjaya Pradeep Kumara’s schoolboy-like fumble allowed them to take the lead just 50 seconds after kick-off. Sanjaya lost possession inside the area and Ibraguim Rabimov snatched the ball but his low drive came off goalkeeper Sugath Thilakaratne, only to make way for a lurking Muhidinov tap the ball into an empty net. Sri Lanka took some time to reassert and began to slice the rival defence down the flanks but their forwards were off the mark mostly. The South Asians earned a series of corners also failed penetrate the solid defence of goalkeeper Aslidin Khabibulloev, who won everything in the air. It were the Tajik who got a golden chance to double the advantage on the half hour but Hakimov’s low cross from the left ran harmlessly across the goal as Muhidinov and Yusuf Rabiev failed to connect. Mohamed Izzadeen came close to equalise on the stroke of the first half but his header on a corner by captain Duddley Steinwall went inches over the post. Tajikistan, however, doubled the lead in the 45th minute when Makhmudov dribbled past two defenders on the counter attack and put a low right-footer into Thilakaratne’s near post inside from the penalty box. Sri Lanka got adventurous after the break in bid to comeback in the game and left wide gaps at their defence, allowing the opposition to exploit the condition. Tajikistan kept the pressure and the Lankan defence went down like wheat beneath a scythe. Striker Hakimov made it 3-0 in the 61st minute when he leaped above the rival backline to nod home a left-side freekick by Odil Irgashev while another combined move nine minutes later saw Muhidinov find the back of the net from close after Rabiev’s magnificent manoeuvre at the right side.