AFC Challenge Cup 2006

[PALESTINO]

This is the inaugural AFC challenge cup.It is to be held bi-annually.i think im the only member who's national team is in this competition!
anyways this cup was organized last year.Asian teams were divided into three groups depending on their rankings.this competition is for the "level C" ranked teams or emerging countries as they call them.Personally,i think Palestine is lightyears ahead of most of the teams but it should be interesting to watch.The tournament starts on saturday ill keep this thread fully updated before and during it.Meanwhile heres the groups:
Group A
India
Chinese Taipei
Phillipines
Afghanistan
Group B
Sri Lanka
Nepal
Bhutan
Brunei
Group C
Palestine
Bangladesh
Guam
Cambodia
Group D
Tajikstan
Kyrgyztan
Macau
Pakistan

Heres the official website http://www.the-afc.com/english/compe...s/challengeCup

[PALESTINO]

http://www.the-afc.com/english/compe...s/challengeCup

Palestine looking to build on recent successes: AFC Challenge Cup
Palestinian coach Mohamed Al Sabah has warned rivals in the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup that his men would settle for nothing short of the silverware.

Speaking on the eve of the team’s departure for Dhaka from Cairo, Al Sabah told www.the-afc.com: “We are going there to win the title. We are not going there for the sake of mere participation.”

The coach said team morale was high after Palestine’s shock defeat of Singapore in the AFC Asian Cup 2007 qualifiers last month. The win has propelled the team 17 places up to 121 in the FIFA World Ranking.

“Team morale is upbeat and we are peaking nicely,” said the coach. “Our aim is to put up a good show and build up on our recent successes.”

Al Sabah’s charges checked into a one-week training camp in Alexandria where they also played a few warm-up games against the topflight local clubs.

They are favourites to finish in the top-two from Group C which also has hosts Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei and Cambodia.

This was before the team left for Dhaka.when they arrived there,they went straight to the training pitch and the players showed "strong will and determination" according to an embedded reporter.the reporter also said that bagladeshis are really friendly people wishing the team luck as they passed.Palestinians are very excited,the players,coaches,media,fans and even politicians.everyone is following the teams preperations.President mahmoud abaas even said he would meet the team on their return

[PALESTINO]

http://www.the-afc.com/english/compe...s/challengeCup

Can Bangladesh break home jinx?
As Bangladesh get set for the AFC Challenge Cup opener against Cambodia on April 1, bitter memories of three years without a single win on home soil will certainly haunt the footballers. Since their 2-1 extra-time victory over India in the SAFF Championship semifinal in March, 2003 Bangladesh have failed to win any international at home.

After the SAFF final, which Bangladesh won on penalties after a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes against Maldives, they have played only three home matches. They went 2-0 down to Tajikistan in a World Cup pre-qualifier also in 2003, drew goalless against Pakistan in the 2007 Asian Cup pre-qualifying match in December 2005 and suffered a 1-0 loss to Hong Kong in February this year in the Asian Cup qualifier.

Having played and lost both matches in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers (5-0 to Uzbekistan in Tashkent), the footballers would rather be hungry for a better display when they line up against Cambodia in the opening match of their group.

"Yes, most of the people including fans and officials are upset after the Hong Kong defeat. Players were demoralised too but I guess that they have the feeling now that it was a bad result,” said national team manager and ex-international goalkeeper Sayeed Hassan Kanan.

"Everyone accepted the 5-0 loss to Uzbekistan but after holding Hong Kong 2-2 away four years ago, many feels this should have not been the result. However, our players are used to responding to criticism more than praise.”

Bangladesh coach Diego Cruciani acted swiftly after the twin-defeats by dropping a number of veterans.

With the professional league to be launched in the country later his year, the Challenge Cup would also be a perfect stage for the old horses as well as the young guns to impress the club officials before going into the transfer market.

Anoter team looking to break a deadlock,Guam:ten years without a win

[PALESTINO]

http://www.the-afc.com/english/compe...s/challengeCup

Cambodia: Waking up after the war
DHAKA: Cambodia football manager Lors Salakhan thinks that football is waking up after the ravages of the civil war led to disintegration of the game, still very popular in the war-torn country.

Cambodia finished fourth in the 1972 Asian Cup but now find it hard to cope with stronger sides.

The young side prepared under coach Joyong Chol for two months for the AFC Challenge Cup beginning here on April 1, Salakhan told www.the-afc.com at the Hotel Sonargaon yesterday.

Cambodia, pitted against hosts Bangladesh, Guam and Palestine in Group C, arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday and had their first training session yesterday morning at the Bangladesh Navy ground.

"Now we have peace back home. We are just trying to develop our football with help from FIFA and the AFC. We have worked hard for the AFC Challenge Cup," the manager said.

Not bothered by the fact that they were facing hosts and favourites Bangladesh in the opener, Salakhan said: "Every one wants to win. We are no different. But no one can say in advance about results. Wait and see how we play at the end of the first match.”

"We lost to Singapore 2-0 in a friendly last year and all the games in this year's SEA Games in Philippines. Since then, we have been trying to increase the standard. This tournament is an opportunity for our young players, most of them around 21-22, to get exposure.”

"We don't have any stars among the bunch and all of them are of similar level. We are ambitious and want to finish top of the group. Then we want to go as far as we can, probably to the final."

Top of the group?Sorry buddy,I dont think so

[PALESTINO]

Heres the team list with their rankings and last international matches
Group A
India 118 0-3 Yemen
Chinese Taipei 157 0-4 Syria
Phillipines 191 0-5 Thailand
Afghanistan 189 2-1 Sri Lanka
Group B
Sri Lanka 145 1-2 Afganistan
Nepal 175 3-1 Bhutan
Bhutan 190 1-3 Nepal
Brunei 199 0-5 Myanmar
Group C
Palestine 121 1-0 Singapore
Bangladesh 143 0-1 Hong Kong
Guam 204 0-21 North Korea
Cambodia 188 0-2 Singapore
Group D
Tajikstan 141 0-2 Qatar
Kyrgyztan 159 1-0 Syria
Macau 192 1-3 Chinese Taipei
Pakistan 155 1-4 UAE

[PALESTINO]

Groups A and B will play in Chittagong at the MA Aziz Stadium


Groups C and D will play in the Banghabandu National Stadium in the capital Dhaka


I think the stdiums are circular because they are also used as cricket grounds

[PALESTINO]

Name: Fahd Attal
Age: 19
Team: Palestine
Club: Qalqilya FC(Palestine)
Position: Striker
4 goals in his 6 matches with the National Team

Heres his goal against Singapore a few weeks ago...Click the link then click the green arrow and it will open on your media player

http://www.palgoal.com/Goals/index.p...ion=file&id=21

[PALESTINO]

http://www.the-afc.com/english/compe...ls&newsID=5498

Fahed Attal slammed a double-hattrick as Palestine cautioned their AFC Challenge Cup rivals with a flurry of goals in the opening match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, brushing aside unfancied Guam 11-0.


Palestine , the second-ranked side in the tournament, bombarded the rival goal with a series of raids in an embarrassingly one-sided affair and took six minutes to open the floodgate when Ahmed Keshkesh placed a left-footer past Guam goalkeeper Brett Maluwelmeng.


Run ragged by their mighty opponents, there was no respite for Guam who conceded an 8-0 lead at the break with forward Fahed finding the net five times.


The tall striker showed good positioning skill to be at the right place at the right moment, completing his hattrick with neat placing shots in the 14, 20 and 26 minutes. His fourth, a superb left-footed volley on Francisco Atura's cross in the 32nd minute, was a treat to watch and the fifth in the injury time was another clinical finishing. He got his sixth goal four minutes from time inside the box, shooting the ball low into the back of the net after turning on his heel.


Fady Salem was at the heart of Palestine midfield creating two chances but it was Chile-based Francisco, whose tireless runs down the left flank really put the rival defence in torment. The fullback got a deserved fourth goal for the side with a spectacular left-footed volley from 40 yards halfway through the first half while Ismail Amour added the team's seventh in the 39th minute.


Palestine did not try too hard in the second half but substitute Ziyad Alkord, who replaced Francisco 12 minutes into the second half, hit the mark twice, with a header on a corner on the hour before putting a long range drive into the roof of the net seven minutes later.


Palestine coach Mohammed Sabbah told after the match that it was a good first match for them.


"It was our first match against Guam so we did not know the opposition. I am happy with Fahed who scored six and Francisco, who really was tremendous at the flank. Now I am going to watch Cambodia and Bangladesh play because they are also unknown to us," Sabbah told.


The Guam coach admitted that it was a very normal performance for his side, who are used to suffer big defeats often.


"It was a good experience for us. We panicked at the start after conceding early goals. We were better and kept things tight in defence in the second half. We hope to do better as the tournament goes on," he said.

totally expected,6 goals for Fahed "Fatal" as they call him

[PALESTINO]

India 2-0 Afghanistan

[culooche]

oh you know..yoour basically writing to yourself.....

[PALESTINO]

Originally Posted by culooche

oh you know..yoour basically writing to yourself.....

people are viewing,they have nothing to say.im posting news by the way

[PALESTINO]

Palestine and bangladesh qualified today both with their second wins.Palestine 4-0 Cambodia,Bangladesh 3-0 Guam.They face each other wednesday to decide who tops the group.check out the website for more news

[PALESTINO]

http://www.the-afc.com/english/compe...ls&newsID=5534

Bangladesh-Palestine meet in clash of titans
DHAKA: Hosts Bangladesh and favourites Palestine vowed to fight for group honours when they meet in the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Wednesday.


Later in the day, the match between Cambodia and Guam only has academic interest as both have been eliminated from the race.


Level with Bangladesh on six points, Palestine need a draw to emerge Group C champions as they have a superior goal difference having scored 15 in the tournament including an 11-0 drubbing of Guam.


But Palestine coach Mohammed Sabbah would not settle for anything less than a win. “Bangladesh are a very good side and playing at home would give them an advantage. I think it would be an open match,” said Sabbah.


“We will go all out and try to win the match and group because we don’t want to face Tajikistan in the quarterfinals,” he added.


The hosts, however, are not going to treat the match similarly.


“This match is important but the quarterfinal is more important. A few of my key players are suffering from mild injuries and I won’t risk them against Palestine,” said coach Diego Cruciani.


“For us, playing Tajikistan, Pakistan or Kyrgyzstan in the knockout stage would be the same. But it does not mean the side I choose will be weak. The young players would like to have a go.”


The Argentine coach had fielded a second-string side against India in the SAFF Championship group match after both had secured places in the semifinals but he is not expected to make wholesale changes like that game in Pakistan last December.


“Palestine are physically strong and technically sound. I had said before the tournament that they would be eyeing the cup. And my view has not changed. It would be a tough task for us but we are not going to make anything easy for them,” said Cruciani.

[tdr]

Originally Posted by PALESTINO

people are viewing,they have nothing to say.im posting news by the way

agree

[PALESTINO]

tajikstan won the final 4-0 over sri lanka.MVP is tajikstans midfielder Ibraguim,top scorer palestines fahed ataal who is up until now the worlds top goalscorer:http://www.iffhs.de/?e4380bfd300bf17...3e00e41504e52d