2018 AFC U-16 Championship

The 2018 AFC U-16 Championship was the 18th edition of the AFC U-16 Championship, the biennial international youth football championship organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the men's under-16 national teams of Asia. It took place in Malaysia, which was appointed as hosts by the AFC on 25 July 2017,[1] between 20 September and 7 October 2018.[2] A total of 16 teams played in the tournament.

2018 AFC U-16 Championship
Kejohanan Remaja B-16 AFC 2018
Tournament details
Host countryMalaysia
Dates20 September – 7 October
Teams16 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)3 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Japan (3rd title)
Runners-up Tajikistan
Tournament statistics
Matches played31
Goals scored97 (3.13 per match)
Attendance62,582 (2,019 per match)
Top scorer(s) Noah Botic
Shoji Toyama
Luqman Hakim
(5 goals each)
Best player(s) Jun Nishikawa
Fair play award Japan

The top four teams of the tournament qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil as the AFC representatives. Japan won their third title, and qualified together with runners-up Tajikistan and semi-finalists Australia and South Korea. Iraq were the defending champions but were eliminated in the group stage.

Qualification
Main article: 2018 AFC U-16 Championship qualification
  Qualified for 2018 AFC U-16 Championship
  Failed to qualify
  Disqualified or withdrew
  Not an AFC member

Qualifying was played on 16–29 September 2017.[3] Malaysia also participated in the qualifiers, even though they had already qualified automatically as hosts.

Qualified teams

The following 16 teams qualified for the final tournament.[4]

Team Qualified as Appearance Previous best performance
 MalaysiaHosts5thQuarter-finals (2014)
 JordanGroup A winners3rdQuarter-finals (2010)
 TajikistanGroup B winners3rdThird place (2006)
 IranGroup C winners11thChampions (2008)
 IraqGroup D winners10thChampions (2016)
 YemenGroup E winners6thRunners-up (2002)
 North KoreaGroup F winners11thChampions (2010, 2014)
 IndonesiaGroup G winners6thFourth place (1990)
 South KoreaGroup H winners14thChampions (1986, 2002)
 AustraliaGroup I winners6thSemi-finals (2010, 2014)
 JapanGroup J winners15thChampions (1994, 2006)
 IndiaGroup D runners-up[note 1]8thQuarter-finals (2002)
 OmanGroup B runners-up[note 1]10thChampions (1996, 2000)
 ThailandGroup G runners-up[note 1]11thChampions (1998)
 VietnamGroup I runners-up[note 1]7thFourth place (2000)
 AfghanistanGroup C runners-up[note 1]1stDebut

Notes:

  1. As Malaysia (Group J runners-up) had already automatically qualified for the final tournament as hosts, the five best runners-up (excluding Malaysia) qualified for the final tournament.

Venues

The matches were played in three venues around Klang Valley. The venues were Bukit Jalil National Stadium, UM Arena Stadium and Petaling Jaya Stadium. The final match was held at Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

Kuala Lumpur
Petaling Jaya
Bukit Jalil National Stadium UM Arena Stadium Petaling Jaya Stadium
Capacity: 87,411 Capacity: 1,000 Capacity: 25,000

Draw

The draw of the final tournament was held on 26 April 2018, 15:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur.[5] The 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams.[6] The teams were seeded according to their performance in the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship final tournament and qualification, with the hosts Malaysia automatically seeded and assigned to Position A1 in the draw.[7]

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4

Squads
Main article: 2018 AFC U-16 Championship squads

Players born on or after 1 January 2002 were eligible to compete in the tournament. Each team should register a squad of minimum 18 players and maximum 23 players, minimum three of whom must be goalkeepers.[8]

Group stage

The top two teams of each group advanced to the quarter-finals.

Tiebreakers

Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings:[8]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  4. If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
  5. Goal difference in all group matches;
  6. Goals scored in all group matches;
  7. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they met in the last round of the group;
  8. Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
  9. Drawing of lots.

All times are local, MYT (UTC+8).

Schedule
Matchday Dates Matches
Matchday 1 20–22 September 2018 1 v 4, 2 v 3
Matchday 2 23–25 September 2018 4 v 2, 3 v 1
Matchday 3 27–28 September 2018[note 1] 1 v 2, 3 v 4

Group A
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Japan 3 2 1 0 7 2 +5 7 Knockout stage
2  Tajikistan 3 1 1 1 4 7 −3 4
3  Thailand 3 1 0 2 7 9 −2 3[lower-alpha 1]
4  Malaysia (H) 3 1 0 2 8 8 0 3[lower-alpha 1]
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Host
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head result: Thailand 4–2 Malaysia.
Malaysia 6–2 Tajikistan
  • Luqman 30', 42', 46', 66'
  • Najmudin 33' (pen.)
  • Mutalib 76' (pen.)
 Report
  • Rahmatov 72' (pen.)
  • Zairov 90+1'
Attendance: 723
Referee: Ahmad Yacoub Ibrahim (Jordan)
Japan 5–2 Thailand
 Report
Attendance: 86
Referee: Payam Heidari (Iran)
Thailand 4–2 Malaysia
  • Suphanat 3', 21'
  • Warakorn 57'
  • Apidet 85'
 Report
Attendance: 8,596
Referee: Omar Mohamed Al-Ali (United Arab Emirates)
Tajikistan 0–0 Japan
Report
Attendance: 115
Referee: Saoud Al-Athbah (Qatar)
Malaysia 0–2 Japan
Report
Attendance: 8,378
Referee: Kim Woo-sung (South Korea)
Thailand 1–2 Tajikistan
 Report
  • Panzhiev 38'
  • Zairov 84'
Attendance: 75
Referee: Shukri Al-Hunfush (Saudi Arabia)

Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  North Korea 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 7 Knockout stage
2  Oman 3 1 1 1 5 5 0 4
3  Yemen 3 1 0 2 5 4 +1 3
4  Jordan 3 0 2 1 5 9 −4 2
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Oman 2–0 Yemen
  • Al-Jaradi 14', 35'
 Report
Attendance: 750
North Korea 2–2 Jordan
  • Kim Kang-song 20', 44'
 Report
  • Semreen 31'
  • Jamous 75'
Attendance: 200
Jordan 2–2 Oman
  • Banihani 49'
  • Jamous 75' (pen.)
 Report
  • Al-Salti 54'
  • N. Al-Naabi 86'
Attendance: 50
Referee: Ammar Mahfoodh (Bahrain)
Yemen 0–1 North Korea
Report
  • Kim Won-il 45+2'
Attendance: 815
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
North Korea 3–1 Oman
  • Pak Ryong-gwon 4'
  • Kim Kang-song 16'
  • An Phyong-il 45+1'
 Report
  • Al-Jaradi 78' (pen.)
Attendance: 100
Yemen 5–1 Jordan
  • Saif 14', 73' (pen.)
  • Senan 16'
  • Al-Qaaod 24'
  • Issa 25' (o.g.)
 Report
  • Banihani 75' (pen.)
Attendance: 531
Referee: Omar Mohamed Al-Ali (United Arab Emirates)

Group C
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Indonesia 3 1 2 0 3 1 +2 5 Knockout stage
2  India 3 1 2 0 1 0 +1 5
3  Iran 3 1 1 1 5 2 +3 4
4  Vietnam 3 0 1 2 1 7 −6 1
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Iran 0–2 Indonesia
Report
Attendance: 3,431
Referee: Kim Woo-sung (South Korea)
Vietnam 0–1 India
Report
Attendance: 166
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
India 0–0 Iran
Report
Attendance: 186
Indonesia 1–1 Vietnam
  • Zico 49'
 Report
  • Khuất Văn Khang 30'
Attendance: 11,201
Referee: Ahmad Yacoub Ibrahim (Jordan)
Iran 5–0 Vietnam
  • Azizi 18', 36'
  • Barzegar 21'
  • Doustali 31', 64'
 Report
Attendance: 105
Referee: Saoud Al-Athbah (Qatar)
India 0–0 Indonesia
Report
Attendance: 11,388
Referee: Ahmad Yacoub Ibrahim (Jordan)

Group D
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  South Korea 3 3 0 0 12 0 +12 9 Knockout stage
2  Australia 3 2 0 1 6 4 +2 6
3  Iraq 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3
4  Afghanistan 3 0 0 3 1 13 −12 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Iraq 2–1 Afghanistan
  • Sadeq 3'
  • Qasim 14' (pen.)
 Report
  • Zahidi 5'
Attendance: 10
Referee: Chen Hsin-chuan (Chinese Taipei)
South Korea 3–0 Australia
 Report
Attendance: 133
Referee: Shukri Al-Hunfush (Saudi Arabia)
Australia 2–1 Iraq
 Report
Attendance: 187
Referee: Payam Heidari (Iran)
Afghanistan 0–7 South Korea
Report
Attendance: 150
Iraq 0–2 South Korea
Report
  • Moon Jun-ho 45', 48'
Attendance: 120
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
Australia 4–0 Afghanistan
  • Roddy 8', 45+3'
  • Botic 26', 61'
 Report
Attendance: 115
Referee: Chen Hsin-chuan (Chinese Taipei)

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, penalty shoot-out without extra time was used to decide the winners if necessary.[8]

Bracket
 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
30 September – Bukit Jalil
 
 
 Japan2
 
4 October – Bukit Jalil
 
 Oman1
 
 Japan3
 
1 October – Bukit Jalil
 
 Australia1
 
 Indonesia2
 
7 October – Bukit Jalil
 
 Australia3
 
 Japan1
 
30 September – Petaling Jaya
 
 Tajikistan0
 
 North Korea1 (2)
 
4 October – Petaling Jaya
 
 Tajikistan (p)1 (4)
 
 Tajikistan (p)1 (7)
 
1 October – Petaling Jaya
 
 South Korea1 (6)
 
 South Korea1
 
 
 India0
 

Quarter-finals

The winners qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Japan 2–1 Oman
 Report
  • Al-Mashary 22'
Attendance: 267
Referee: Payam Heidari (Iran)
North Korea 1–1 Tajikistan
  • Ri Hun 69'
 Report
Penalties
  • Ra Nam-hyon
  • Kim Jin-guk
  • Chae Yu-song
  • Kim Jin-hyok
2–4
  • Rahmatov
  • Panzhiev
  • Sharipov
  • Soirov
Attendance: 100
Referee: Ammar Mahfoodh (Bahrain)
Indonesia 2–3 Australia
  • Zico 17'
  • Rendy 89'
 Report
  • Walsh 51'
  • Leombruno 65'
  • Botic 74'
Attendance: 13,743
Referee: Kim Woo-sung (South Korea)
South Korea 1–0 India
 Report
Attendance: 200
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)

Semi-finals
Japan 3–1 Australia
 Report
Attendance: 224
Referee: Omar Mohamed Al-Ali (United Arab Emirates)
Tajikistan 1–1 South Korea
  • Panzhiev 2'
 Report
  • Yoon Suk-ju 39'
Penalties
  • Rahmatov
  • Sharipov
  • Zakirov
  • Panzhiev
  • Soirov
  • Sangov
  • Litfullaev
7–6
Attendance: 85

Final
Japan 1–0 Tajikistan
 Report
Attendance: 352
Referee: Ahmad Yacoub Ibrahim (Jordan)

Winners
 2018 AFC U-16 Championship 

Japan
Third title

Awards

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:

Top Goalscorer[11] Most Valuable Player[11] Fair Play award[11]
Luqman Hakim[note 3] Jun Nishikawa  Japan

Goalscorers

There were 97 goals scored in 31 matches, for an average of 3.13 goals per match.

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

  • Joseph Roddy
  • Sutan Zico
  • Amirhossein Azizi
  • Amin Doustali
  • Abdulrazzaq Qasim
  • Ryotaro Araki
  • Reziq Banihani
  • Amer Jamous
  • Ahn Gi-hun
  • Choi Min-seo
  • Hong Yun-sang
  • Moon Jun-ho
  • Ozodbek Panzhiev
  • Islom Zairov
  • Warakorn Thongbai
  • Faisal Saif

1 goal

1 own goal

  • Esmatullah Kazimi (against South Korea)
  • Mohammad Issa (against Yemen)
  • Issa Al-Naabi (against Japan)

    Tournament ranking

    As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws.

    Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Final result
    1  Japan 6 5 1 0 13 4 +9 16 Champions
    2  Tajikistan 6 1 3 2 6 10 −4 6 Runners-up
    3  South Korea 5 4 1 0 14 1 +13 13 Semi-finalists
    4  Australia 5 3 0 2 10 9 +1 9
    5  North Korea 4 2 2 0 7 4 +3 8 Eliminated in
    quarter-finals
    6  Indonesia 4 1 2 1 5 4 +1 5
    7  India 4 1 2 1 1 1 0 5
    8  Oman 4 1 1 2 6 7 −1 4
    9  Iran 3 1 1 1 5 2 +3 4 Eliminated in
    group stage
    10  Yemen 3 1 0 2 5 4 +1 3
    11  Thailand 3 1 0 2 7 9 −2 3[lower-alpha 1]
    12  Malaysia (H) 3 1 0 2 8 8 0 3[lower-alpha 1]
    13  Iraq 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3
    14  Jordan 3 0 2 1 5 9 −4 2
    15  Vietnam 3 0 1 2 1 7 −6 1
    16  Afghanistan 3 0 0 3 1 13 −12 0
    Source: AFC
    (H) Host
    Notes:
    1. Head-to-head result: Thailand 4–2 Malaysia.

    Qualified teams for FIFA U-17 World Cup

    The following four teams from AFC qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

    Team Qualified on Previous appearances in FIFA U-17 World Cup 1
     Japan30 September 2018[12]8 (1993, 1995, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017)
     Tajikistan30 September 2018[12]1 (2007)
     Australia1 October 2018[13]12 2 (1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2015)
     South Korea1 October 2018[13]5 (1987, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2015)
    1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.
    2 Australia qualified as a member of the OFC for ten tournaments between 1985 and 2005.

    Notes
    1. Due to weather conditions (heavy rainfall and lightning), both Matchday 3 matches in Group A were postponed from 26 September, 16:30 (and initially pushed to 17:30) to 27 September, 11:00.[9]
    2. The following venue changes were announced by the AFC on 25 September 2018 due to a request by the football associations of Malaysia and Indonesia in order to accommodate the large number of Indonesian fans:[10]
    3. Playing less than the other players scoring 5 goals (with 2 matches), Luqman won the Top Scorer Award

    References
    1. "AFC Competitions Committee's decisions published". AFC. 25 July 2017.
    2. "AFC Competitions Calendar 2018". AFC. 11 January 2018.
    3. "AFC Competitions Calendar 2017" (PDF). AFC. 12 April 2016.
    4. "Korea Republic seal AFC U-16 Championship 2018 berth". AFC. 29 September 2017.
    5. "Asia's future stars to shine in Malaysia 2018". AFC. 26 April 2018.
    6. "Preview: Stars of tomorrow to know their challengers". AFC. 25 April 2018.
    7. "AFC U-16 Championship 2018 Official Draw". YouTube. 26 April 2018.
    8. "Regulations AFC U-16 Championship 2018". AFC.
    9. "Group A Matchday Three matches cancelled, rescheduled to Thursday". AFC. 26 September 2018.
    10. "Group C Matchday Three venue change". Asian Football Confederation. 25 September 2018.
    11. "Japan's Nishikawa named MVP". AFC. 7 October 2018.
    12. "Japan, Tajikistan qualify for Peru 2019". FIFA.com. 30 September 2018.
    13. "Australia, Korea Republic seal Peru 2019 spots". FIFA.com. 1 October 2018.
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