# 2008 AFC Challenge Cup final

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.

## Venues

Due to the poor conditions of the pitch at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, the AFC moved the majority of the matches to another venue. It was decided that ten matches would be played at the Gachibowli Athletic Stadium, and two at the LBS Stadium. 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.

## Route to the final

| India | India | Round | Tajikistan | Tajikistan |
| Opponent | Result | Qualifying round | Opponent | Result |
| Automatic qualifier | Automatic qualifier | Match 1 | Bhutan | 3–1 |
| Automatic qualifier | Automatic qualifier | Match 2 | Philippines | 0–0 |
| Automatic qualifier | Automatic qualifier | Match 3 | Brunei | 4–0 |
| Automatic qualifier | Automatic qualifier | Final standing | Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Tajikistan 3 2 1 0 7 1 +6 7  Philippines 3 2 1 0 4 0 +4 7  Bhutan 3 0 1 2 2 7 −5 1  Brunei 3 0 1 2 1 6 −5 1 Source: RSSSF | Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Tajikistan 3 2 1 0 7 1 +6 7  Philippines 3 2 1 0 4 0 +4 7  Bhutan 3 0 1 2 2 7 −5 1  Brunei 3 0 1 2 1 6 −5 1 Source: RSSSF |
| Opponent | Result | Group stage | Opponent | Result |
| Afghanistan | 1–0 | Match 1 | Turkmenistan | 0–0 |
| Tajikistan | 1–1 | Match 2 | India | 1–1 |
| Turkmenistan | 2–1 | Match 3 | Afghanistan | 4–0 |
| Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  India 321042+27  Tajikistan 312051+45  Turkmenistan 311162+44  Afghanistan 3003010−100 | Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  India 321042+27  Tajikistan 312051+45  Turkmenistan 311162+44  Afghanistan 3003010−100 | Final standing | Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  India 321042+27  Tajikistan 312051+45  Turkmenistan 311162+44  Afghanistan 3003010-100 | Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  India 321042+27  Tajikistan 312051+45  Turkmenistan 311162+44  Afghanistan 3003010-100 |
| Opponent | Result | Knockout phase | Opponent | Result |
| Myanmar | 1–0 | Semi-finals | North Korea | 1–0 |

## Match

| India | Tajikistan |
Subrata Paul :
| DF | 5 | Anwar Ali |
| MF | 7 | Pappachen Pradeep 35' |
| MF | 8 | Renedy Singh |
| FW | 11 | Sunil Chhetri |
| FW | 15 | Bhaichung Bhutia (c) 77' |
| DF | 17 | Irungbam Surkumar Singh |
| DF | 19 | Gouramangi Singh |
| DF | 20 | Samir Subash Naik 39' |
| MF | 23 | Steven Dias 86' |
| MF | 30 | Climax Lawrence |
| Substitutes: |||
| DF | 2 | Govin Singh |
| MF | 4 | Krishnan Nair Ajayan |
| DF | 6 | Baldeep Singh |
| DF | 12 | Deepak Mondal |
| FW | 18 | Sushil Kumar Singh 77' |
| FW | 21 | Abhishek Yadav |
| DF | 22 | Syed Rahim Nabi |
| GK | 24 | Subhasish Roy Chowdhury |
| MF | 25 | Clifford Miranda 86' |
| MF | 27 | Mehrajuddin Wadoo 35' 43' |
| MF | 28 | Bungo Thomchok Singh |
| Manager: ||||
| Bob Houghton ||||
Alisher Tuychiev :
| DF | 2 | Daler Tukhtasunov |
| DF | 3 | Naim Nasirov 62' |
| DF | 6 | Davron Ergashev |
| MF | 9 | Anvar Norkulov |
| FW | 11 | Numonjon Hakimov 75' |
| DF | 12 | Eraj Rajabov |
| DF | 17 | Sokhib Suvonkulov 46' |
| MF | 18 | Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev 43' |
| Fw | 19 | Dzhomikhon Mukhidinov |
| MF | 22 | Yusuf Rabiev (c) |
| Substitutes: |||
| MF | 14 | Samad Shohzukhurov 62' |
| DF | 15 | Zafardzhon Zuvaydov |
| GK | 16 | Mirali Murodov |
| DF | 24 | Suhrob Mansurov |
| DF | 27 | Isomiddin Qurvonov |
| FW | 29 | Dzhakhongir Dzhalilov 75' |
| DF | 31 | Eradzh Kholov |
| GK | 40 | Amonsho Sodatsayrov |
| Manager: ||||
| 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.