South Asian football meet set to kick off in Bangladesh
DHAKA, Jan 8 (AFP) © 2003 AFP
South Asia’s biggest football event is to begin Friday in the Bangladeshi capital, a year after it was originally scheduled.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will inaugurate the eight-team South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) championship in a 45-minute opening ceremony at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.
Reigning champions India will confront arch-rival Pakistan in the championship opener, while newcomers Afganistan are scheduled to take on Sri Lanka in the second match Friday.
Bhutan, Maldives and hosts Bangladesh, the other nations in South Asia, complete the line-up in the 10-day event.
The tournament was originally scheduled to be played in January 2002, but a lack of sponsors forced it to be postponed.
The teams are divided into two groups: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afganistan in one and Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives in the other.
India won the inaugural meet in Nepal in 1995 and retained the title on their home turf in Goa two years later.
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