2019 SAFF Women's Championship

The 2019 SAFF Women's Championship was the 5th edition of the SAFF Women's Championship, the biennial international women's football championship contested by the national teams of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Initially, scheduled from 17 to 26 December 2018 in Sri Lanka, the competition was rescheduled, as Sri Lanka withdrew as hosts.[1][2][3] Afterwards, it was scheduled to be held in 2019 from 12 to 22 March[4] and to be hosted by Nepal.[5][6]

2019 SAFF Women's Championship
Tournament details
Host countryNepal
Dates12–22 March
Teams6
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions India (5th title)
Runners-up Nepal
Tournament statistics
Matches played9
Goals scored33 (3.67 per match)
Attendance30,200 (3,356 per match)
Top scorer(s)India Indumathi Kathiresan
Nepal Sabitra Bhandari (4 goals each)
Best player(s)India Grace Dangmei
Fair play award Bangladesh
2016
2022

India is the current champions having defeated Nepal by 3–1 goals on 22 March 2019 in the final.[7]

Participating teams edit

Defending champions India and Bangladesh were pitted in Group B and Group A respectively. In Group A, Nepal who finished second in the first three editions of the tournament were drawn with 2016 runners-up Bangladesh, Bhutan and Pakistan and in Group B, along with India, Maldives and Sri Lanka are placed.[1][4] Afghanistan did not participate in this edition, though they played in the 2016 edition despite changing their sub-confederation from SAFF to CAFF in 2014. Later, Pakistan withdrew from the tournament.[8]

Country Appearance Previous best performance FIFA ranking
Dec 2018
  India 5th Champions (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2019) 62
  Nepal (Host) 5th Runners-up (2010, 2012, 2014, 2019) 108
  Bangladesh 5th Runners-up (2016) 125
  Maldives 5th Semi-finals (2016) 132
  Sri Lanka 5th Semi-finals (2012, 2014) n/a
  Bhutan 5th Group stage (2010,2012,2014,2016) n/a

Venue edit

The Sahid Rangsala in Biratnagar, Province No. 1, Nepal serves as the host venue for the SAFF Women's Championship.[6][9]

Biratnagar
Sahid Rangsala
Capacity: 10,000

Group stage edit

The group stage draw for the tournament was held on 13 November 2018 at the South Asian Football Federation head office in Dhaka.[4]

Key to colours in group tables
Group winners and runners-up advance to the semi-finals

Group A edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Status
1   Nepal (H) 2 2 0 0 6 0 +6 6 Qualified for Knockout stage
2   Bangladesh 2 1 0 1 2 3 −1 3
3   Bhutan 2 0 0 2 0 5 −5 0
Updated to match(es) played on 16 March 2019. Source: SAFF
(H) Hosts
Nepal    3–0  Bhutan
Manjali   13'
Sabitra   16'
Niru   54'
SAFF ANFA

Bhutan  0–2  Bangladesh
SAFF BFF Mishrat   47'
Sabina   85'
Attendance: 2,379

Bangladesh  0–3  Nepal
Report Parvin   6' (o.g.)
Sabitra   23'
Manjali   28'

Group B edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Status
1   India 2 2 0 0 11 0 +11 6 Qualified for Knockout stage
2   Sri Lanka 2 1 0 1 2 5 −3 3
3   Maldives 2 0 0 2 0 8 −8 0
Updated to match(es) played on 17 March 2019. Source: SAFF
India  6–0  Maldives
Sanju   27', 89'
Grace   8'
Sandhiya   13'
Indumathi   23'
Ratanbala   45+4'
SAFF AIFF
Attendance: 1,813

Maldives  0–2  Sri Lanka
SAFF ANFA Chalini   40', 50'
Attendance: 1,464

Sri Lanka  0–5  India
SAFF AIFF Grace   4'
Sandhiya   7'
Indumathi   36'
Sangita   45'
Ratanbala   47'

Knockout stage edit

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
20 March – Biratnagar
 
 
  Nepal4
 
22 March – Biratnagar
 
  Sri Lanka0
 
  Nepal1
 
20 March – Biratnagar
 
  India3
 
  India4
 
 
  Bangladesh0
 

Semi-finals edit

Nepal    4–0  Sri Lanka
Magar   42'
Anita   73'
Bhandari   82'
Rekha   86'
Report
Attendance: 4,112
Referee: Pratap Singh (India)
India  4–0  Bangladesh
Dalima   18'
Indumathi   22', 37'
Manisha   90+3'
Report

Final edit

Nepal    1–3  India
Bhandari   33' Report Chhibber   26'
Grace   63'
Tamang   78'

Goalscorers edit

There were 33 goals scored in 9 matches, for an average of 3.67 goals per match.

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

References edit

  1. ^ a b "2018 SAFF Women's Championship official draw concluded". the-afc.com. AFC. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  2. ^ "SAFF Women's draw held". South Asian Football Federation.
  3. ^ "Nepal starts training for SAFF Women's C'ship". República. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "Nepal to take Bhutan in SAFF Championship Opener". footcricnepal.com. footcricnepal. Archived from the original on 16 December 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  5. ^ "OFFICIAL: Biratnagar To Host SAFF Women's Championship". Goal Nepal. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  6. ^ a b "SAFF Women's Championship 2019 Fixture". South Asian Football Federation. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  7. ^ "INDIAN WOMEN CLINCH FIFTH STRAIGHT SAFF TITLE AFTER 3-1 WIN OVER NEPAL". The AIFA.com. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  8. ^ Pakistan Withdraws Participation In 2019 SAFF Women's Championship Archived 13 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine (nepal24hours)
  9. ^ "Biratnagar to host SAFF Women's C'ship". The Daily Star. 18 December 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.

External links edit