The 1953 Colombo Cup was the second edition of the Colombo Cup held in Rangoon, Burma. India won the cup for a second time by winning all thee matches.[1] It was India's first outright win in an international football tournament played abroad.[2] The team received the rolling Colombo Cup and a Special Burma Cup for permanent retention.[3]

1953 Colombo Cup
Tournament details
Host countryBurma
Dates23 October – 2 November 1953
Teams4 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions India (2nd title)
Runners-up Pakistan
Third place Burma
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Goals scored22 (3.67 per match)
1952
1954

Overview edit

The India team arrived in Rangoon on 22 October 1953 and the Pakistan side, a week before. The Indian Express described the Aung San Stadium, where all matches were to be played, as having "concrete and semi permanent stands all around the ground" with a capacity of 30,000. The rules of the tournament had not made wearing boots mandatory.[4] Four of India's players — Sailen Manna, Ahmed Khan, Pansanttom Venkatesh and M. Thangaraj (in the second half) — played bare-footed against Pakistan in the tournament's first game, on 23 October.[5]

Squads edit

Ceylon[1] India[6] Pakistan[4]
  • T. H. Soono (captain)
  • M. Sheriff
  • O. L. M. H. Deen
  • A. C. M. Junaid
  • A. C. M. Khan
  • Karunapala Fernando
  • T. Bongso
  • L. Cornelies
  • Andrew Fernando
  • T. J. Azeez
  • M. T. A. Ossen
  • Peter Ranasinghe
  • Basheer Ahmed
  • K. A. Premadasa
  • A. R. Jailabdeen
  • M. I. M. Laheer
  • K. S. Richard
  • K. Poddiappuhamy
  • Mohammed Shareef (captain)
  • Moideen Kutty
  • Jamail Ekhtar
  • Sunbal Khan
  • Abdul Majid
  • Ahmad Ali
  • Taj Mohammed
  • Rashidullah Khan Jr.
  • Akbar Jan
  • Rashidullah Khan
  • Fazal Rehman Talib Ali
  • Riasat Ali
  • Abdul Haq
  • Mohammed Amin
  • Mazar Siddique Mallick
  • Tarapada Roy

Points table edit

(C) refers to champions

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   India (C) 3 3 0 0 7 2 +5 6
2   Pakistan 3 1 1 1 7 2 +5 4
3   Burma 3 1 1 1 6 7 -1 4
4   Ceylon 3 0 1 2 2 11 -9 1

Matches edit

India  1–0  Pakistan
D'Souza   59' Report
Referee: U. Kim Teikh (Myanmar)

Burma  3–2  Ceylon
Samuel   22', 60', 64' Report Ossen   21'
Azeez   47'

India  2–0  Ceylon
Venkatesh   ?'
Khan   35'
Report
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Maung May Lay (Myanmar)

Burma  1–1  Pakistan
Ba Kyu   60' (pen.) Report Ismail   49'

Burma  2–4India  
Samuel   ?'
Ba Kyu   60'
Report Thangaraj   4', ?'
Venkatesh   ?'
Khan   ?'
Referee: Mahomed Shah (Pakistan)

  Pakistan6–0  Ceylon
Akbar Jan   7'
Ismail   10', 13'
Gunaid   11' (o.g.)
Kutty   37', 42'
Report

References edit

  1. ^ a b Morrison, Neil (1999). "Asian Quadrangular Tournament (Colombo Cup) 1952–1955: 1953 (Rangoon, Burma)". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Indian Team Celebrate". The Indian Express. 4 November 1953. p. 6. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  3. ^ "India Presented With Trophies". The Indian Express. 4 November 1953. p. 6. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Indian Soccer Team in Rangoon". The Indian Express. 23 October 1953. p. 6. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  5. ^ "India's Win". The Indian Express. 25 October 1953. p. 9. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Indian Soccer Team To Rangoon". The Indian Express. 21 October 1953. p. 6. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.