1968 Aga Khan Gold CupCeylon Colts captain Zainul Abedin (left) and Mohammedan captain Zakaria Pintoo (right) shaking hands before kickoff at the 1968 Aga Khan Gold Cup Final. |
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| Host country | East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) |
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| Dates | 25 October –12 November 1968 |
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| Teams | 12 (from 1 confederation) |
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| Venue | Dhaka Stadium (in Dhaka host cities) |
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| Champions | Mohammedan SC (3rd title) |
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| Matches played | 16 |
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| Goals scored | 45 (2.81 per match) |
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1969 → |
The 1968 Aga Khan Gold Cup was the tenth edition of the Aga Khan Gold Cup. The tournament was organized by the East Pakistan Sports Federation (EPSF) and all games were held at the Dhaka Stadium in Dhaka, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), from 25 October 1968 to 12 November 1968.[1] Matches lasted 70 minutes, with an additional 15 minutes of extra time if required during the knockout stages.[2][3]
Venues
Preliminary round
First phase
Second phase
- Replay
Robin league
Group A
Group B
| Pos
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
Qualification
|
| 1
|
Mohammedan
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
+2
|
3
|
Advance to the Semi-finals
|
| 2
|
Ceylon Colts XI[a]
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
| 3
|
KMC
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
−2
|
1
|
|
Knockout stage
Semi-finals
Finals
Source:[7]
Indonesia XI vs Mohammedan; 7 November 1968
A physical altercation between the two teams in the first-half (above), Indonesian players protesting refree, Issa Khan's, penalty decision in the second-half (below).
"After 15 minutes of play in the second half a penalty kick was awarded in favour of Mohammedan side for handling the ball inside the penalty box of Indonesian side intentionally by a player of Indonesia. I placed the ball on the penalty mark but the Indonesian side started obstruction… and eventually the full team left the ground under the instigation of their Manager and Coach. I then allowed the kick to be taken by the Mohammedan side, but the game could not be restarted as the opponent was absent."
Excerpt from Issa Khan's match report following the semi-finals.[6]
"Just after 15 minutes of the game in second half, the Indonesian player No. 8 handed the ball intentionally inside the penalty area and the referee awarded a penalty kick. The players of Indonesian team kicked the ball out of the field when it was placed on the penalty spot and physically attacked the referee. The Manager of the team was requested to continue the game, but the Indonesian Team walked out of the ground and refused to participate as a protest against the decision of the referee. Considering the facts, the Committee unanimously resolves that the Indonesian Team be scratched from the tournament and the game be declared in favour of Mohammedan Sporting Club."
The semi-finals between Mohammedan Sporting Club and Indonesia XI, held at Dhaka Stadium on 7 November, ended in a controversial manner. Tensions begun rising when Indonesia scored their second goal in the 23rd minute. Following this, the local team reportedly applied rough tactics, with the Indonesian outside right Tumsila was fouled by Qadir Bakhsh, and in retaliation, Tumsila stamped on the prostrate Bakhsh. Mohammedan's outside left Golam Sarwar Tipu rushed to intervene and attacked Tumsila, leading to a brief scuffle involving multiple players from both sides. Police officers on duty entered the field, but the players themselves managed to calm the situation. After a three-minute halt, the match resumed and continued without further disturbances until the second-half.[6]
Shortly after the second-half began, a penalty was awarded to Mohammedan after an Indonesian player picked up the ball with his hands inside the penalty box before the referee's whistle following an initial Indonesian appeal for a handball. This prompted the referee, Issa Khan, to award the penalty, enraging the Indonesian team, who physically confronted the referee and repeatedly kicked the ball away to prevent the penalty from being taken.[6]
Despite multiple attempts by the referee and tournament officials to calm the situation and resume play, the Indonesian team refused to continue. After several minutes, the full Indonesian team, reportedly under the direction of their manager and coach, walked off the field in protest. Following this incident, the Tournament Committee reviewed the referee's report and unanimously decided to scratch Indonesia from the tournament, awarding the match to Mohammedan Sporting Club.[6]
Notes
- ^ The Ceylon Football Association sent a CFA Colts XI, a development/second-string representative squad, selected because the senior national team was unavailable.[5]
- ^ Indonesia XI abandoned the game, while leading 2–0, in protest after a penalty was awarded to Mohammedan SC fifteen minutes into the second-half.[6]
References