By Mark Baber
May 20 – Monday’s kick-off of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup final is being hailed as a remarkable achievement for the Maldives (total population 340,000) which has managed to refurbish two stadiums to bring them up to AFC standards.
Unfortunately for the host team, who have been promised a MVR 1 million (£38,500) reward if they reach the final, they lost their opening game 3-2 against Myanmar, whilst Palestine beat Kyrgyzstan 1-0.
Also qualified for the eight team final tournament of AFC emerging countries are Afghanistan, Laos, Pakistan and the Philippines. The winner of the May 30 final will qualify for the Asian Cup, which will replace the Challenge Cup from 2015 onwards.
In preparation for the tournament, the newly named ‘National Stadium’ in the capital Malé and ‘Addu Football Stadium’ in the second biggest city were refurbished and handed over, despite worries they would not be ready in time. The teams are staying in two local resorts, with the logistics involving travel by land, sea and air.
The tournament is attracting a lot of interest from locals, who have been backing the Palestine team as well as their own, and the President of the Maldives has expressed the hope the tournament will bring the people of the islands together.
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