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2008 AFF Championship
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
| 2008 Kejuaraan Sepak Bola ASEAN 2008 อาเซียนฟุตบอลแชมเปียนชิพ | |
|---|---|
 AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 official logo | |
| Tournament details | |
| Host country | Indonesia Thailand (for group stage) |
| Dates | 5–28 December |
| Teams | 8 |
| Venue | 3 (in 3 host cities) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Vietnam (1st title) |
| Runners-up |  Thailand |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 18 |
| Goals scored | 56 (3.11 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Agu Casmir  Budi Sudarsono Teerasil Dangda (4 goals) |
| Best player | Dương Hồng Sơn |
← 2007 2010 → | |
The 2008 AFF Championship was the seventh edition of the tournament. It was primarily sponsored by Suzuki and therefore officially known as the 2008 AFF Suzuki Cup.[1] The group stage was held in Indonesia and Thailand from 5 to 10 December 2008. Two-legged home-and-away semi-finals and finals were held between 16 and 28 December 2008 in Singapore and Vietnam.
Singapore were the two-time defending champions, but were eliminated by Vietnam in the semi-finals. Vietnam, managed by Portuguese Henrique Calisto, won the tournament by a 3–2 victory in the two-legged final against Thailand to win their first title. In 2008, this was rank 7th of the top ten greatest football events in Asia by Goal.com.[2][3]
Summary
[edit]The tournament would originally have been hosted by Myanmar because of the rotation system among ASEAN countries, however, they withdrew in August 2007 due to security concerns.[4] In the third AFF council meeting in Bali, Indonesia and Thailand beat three other countries to win the right to host (the other three were Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam). However, if both countries are unable to fulfill certain obligations set by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), Vietnam will step in and host the tournament. The winning team will take home USD100,000, runners-up USD 50,000, and USD 15,000 for the losing semi-finalists. Nike will be an official supplier for the 2008 AFF Championship.[5]
10 days before the start of the tournament, safety issues were raised contending the safety of the teams who were due to play in Bangkok. This was because of the riots that were happening in the city which also resulted in the closure of the Suvarnabhumi Airport (see 2008 Thai political crisis for further information). Due to the political crisis, the Football Association of Thailand stated that the Group Stages in the Thai capital Bangkok would go ahead, or if the situation got worse, games would be moved to Chiang Mai in the north of the country or Phuket in the South of the country.[6][7][8]
As well as Thailand confirming themselves as steady hosts, Vietnam and Malaysia also stated that they would be prepared to host the tournament at short notice.[9][10]
On 29 November, with less than one week before the start of the tournament, the group stages held in Thai sport were moved from the capital Bangkok to the southern province Phuket.[11]
Venues
[edit]Indonesia prepare Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in the capital city and Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, while Thailand prepare Rajamangala Stadium and Suphachalasai Stadium where both of them located in Bangkok. All of the stadiums are 2007 AFC Asian Cup venues except of Si Jalak Harupat Stadium. Bung Karno Stadium will be the opening match venue, while Rajmangala Stadium will be the final match venue.
Group stage matches in Thai sport were switched from the capital Bangkok to the southern provinces Phuket at Surakul Stadium in Phuket City on 29 November due to security issues in Bangkok.[11][12]
| Jakarta
|
Bandung
|
Phuket
|
|---|---|---|
| Gelora Bung Karno Stadium | Si Jalak Harupat Stadium | Surakul Stadium |
| Capacity: 88,083 | Capacity: 27,000 | Capacity: 15,000 |
|
.JPG)
|
|
| Bangkok
|
Hanoi
|
Singapore
|
| Rajamangala Stadium | Mỹ Đình National Stadium | Singapore National Stadium |
| Capacity: 49,722 | Capacity: 40,192 | Capacity: 55,000 |
|
|
|
Qualification
[edit]The qualification took place in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, from 17 October 2008 to 25 October 2008. The five lower-ranked teams in Southeast Asia play within a round-robin tournament format and the top two countries in the group will qualify for this tournament.
Qualified teams
[edit]The following eight teams qualified for the tournament.
| Country | Previous best performance |
|---|---|
| Thailand
|
Winners (1996, 2000, 2002) |
| Singapore
|
Winners (1998, 2004, 2007) |
| Indonesia
|
Runners-up (2000, 2002, 2004) |
| Vietnam
|
Runners-up (1998) |
 Malaysia
|
Runners-up (1996) |
 Myanmar
|
Fourth-place (2004) |
 Laos
|
Group stage (1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007) |
 Cambodia
|
Group stage (1996, 2000, 2002, 2004) |
Squads
[edit]Referees
[edit]Confirmed referees during the tournament:[13]
Final tournament
[edit]Group stage
[edit]Group A
[edit]- All matches played in Indonesia.
- All times are Western Indonesian Time (WIB) – UTC+7.
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 9 |
| Indonesia
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 6 |
 Myanmar
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 3 |
| Cambodia
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12 | −10 | 0 |
| Singapore | 3–1 | Myanmar |
|---|---|---|
Alam Shah  1' Casmir 16', 74' |
Myo Min Tun 28' |
| Myanmar | 3–2 | Cambodia |
|---|---|---|
| Moe Win 29' Ya Zar Win Thein 35' Myo Min Tun 85' |
Sokumpheak 40' Borey 77' |
Referee: Allan Martinez (Philippines)
Group B
[edit]| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | +11 | 9 |
| Vietnam
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 6 |
| Malaysia
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 3 |
| Laos
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | −13 | 0 |
| Malaysia | 3–0 | Laos |
|---|---|---|
| Safee 68', 87' Indra Putra 73' |
| Malaysia | 2–3 | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Indra Putra 20', 85' |
Phạm Thành Lương 16' Nguyễn Vũ Phong 72', 86' |
Referee: Pandian Palaniyandi (Singapore)
| Vietnam | 4–0 | Laos |
|---|---|---|
| Nguyễn Việt Thắng 48' Phạm Thành Lương 63' Huỳnh Quang Thanh 66' Phan Thanh Bình 80' |
Knockout stages
[edit]Note: Although the knockout stages are two-legged, away goals rule is not applied. If the total aggregate score of both teams after both matches remained the same, extra time would have been played, followed by a penalty shootout if necessary.
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||
| B1 | Thailand
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
| A2 | Indonesia
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| B1 | Thailand
| 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| B2 | Vietnam
| 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
| A1 | Singapore
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| B2 | Vietnam
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
Semi-finals
[edit]- First Leg
- Second Leg
Thailand won 3–1 on aggregate.
| Singapore | 0–1 | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Nguyễn Quang Hải 74' |
Vietnam won 1–0 on aggregate.
Final
[edit]- First leg
| Thailand | 1–2 | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Dương Hồng Sơn 75' (o.g.) |
Report | Nguyễn Vũ Phong 40' Lê Công Vinh 42' |
- Second leg
| Vietnam | 1–1 | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Lê Công Vinh 90+4' |
Report | Teerasil 21' |
Vietnam won 3–2 on aggregate.
Vietnamese supporters celebrate after the final.
Awards
[edit]| 2008 AFF Championship |
|---|
 Vietnam First title |
| Most Valuable Player | Golden Boot | Fair Play Award |
|---|---|---|
| Dương Hồng Sơn
|
Agu Casmir Budi Sudarsono Teerasil Dangda
|
Thailand
|
Goalscorers
[edit]- 4 goals
- 3 goals
- 2 goals
- 1 goal
- 1 own goal
Team statistics
[edit]This table shows all team performance.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final | |||||||||
| 1 | Vietnam
|
7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 14 |
| 2 | Thailand
|
7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 4 | +12 | 16 |
| Semi-finals | |||||||||
| 3 | Singapore
|
5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 10 |
| 4 | Indonesia
|
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 6 |
| Eliminated in the group stage | |||||||||
| 5 | Malaysia
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 3 |
| 6 | Myanmar
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 3 |
| 7 | Cambodia
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12 | −10 | 0 |
| 8 | Laos
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | −13 | 0 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Suzuki Sponsor AFF Suzuki Cup 2008". Aseanfootball.org. 7 August 2008. Archived from the original on 15 August 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
- ^ "VnExpress - Việt Nam lọt vào top 10 sự kiện bóng đá châu Á - Viet Nam lot vao top 10 su kien bong da chau A". 13 February 2009. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
- ^ baoquangtri.vn (1 January 2009). "Việt Nam vô địch AFF Cup: 1 trong 10 sự kiện bóng đá tiêu biểu Châu Á 2008". Báo Quảng Trị (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 19 April 2025.
- ^ "Thailand, Indonesia to host 2008 ASEAN championships". Reuters. Archived from the original on 7 April 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
- ^ "Indonesia and Thailand Hosts For ASEAN Football Championship 2008". Archived from the original on 7 April 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
- ^ "Worawi: 'It's still on!". AFC. 28 November 2008. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
- ^ "AFF Suzuki Cup en español". Periodismo de fútbol internacional. 27 November 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
- ^ "Suzuki Cup tournament could be moved from Bangkok to Phuket due to political chaos". Bangkok Post. 29 November 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
- ^ "Vietnam top candidate to replace Thailand as AFF Cup host". VietNamNet. 28 November 2008. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
- ^ "Malaysia willing to replace Thailand as AFF Cup host". VietNamNet. 27 November 2008. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
- ^ a b "Thailand shifts Suzuki Cup out of troubled Bangkok". Yahoo! Sports. 29 November 2008. Archived from the original on 15 December 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2008.
- ^ "Suzuki Cup meet will be held in Phuket from December 6, says Worawi". Bangkok Post. 30 November 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
- ^ "Wasit Indonesia Masih Dipercaya" (in Indonesian). Pikiran Rakyat Online. 29 October 2008. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2008.
- ^ "Thailand-Malaysia Move To Bangkok". AFF. 7 December 2008. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ "Final group B matches to stay in Phuket". AFF. 9 December 2008. Archived from the original on 10 December 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
2008 AFF Championship
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
The 2008 AFF Championship, officially known as the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008, was the premier biennial international men's association football tournament organized by the ASEAN Football Federation for national teams from Southeast Asia.[1] Co-hosted by Indonesia and Thailand for the group stage from 5 to 10 December 2008, the competition featured eight teams divided into two groups, with the top two advancing to two-legged semi-finals and finals.[2] Vietnam emerged as champions for the first time, defeating Thailand 3–2 on aggregate in the final—winning the first leg 2–1 away with a dramatic injury-time header by Lê Công Vinh, followed by a 1–1 draw in the return leg at home—sparking widespread celebrations across the country.[3][4][5] The tournament showcased rising regional talent and competitive intensity, with Vietnam's victory under coach Henrique Calisto highlighting disciplined defense and opportunistic attacking play against a favored Thai side.[3]
Tournament Background
Historical Context
The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), founded on 31 January 1984 in Jakarta, Indonesia, organized the inaugural edition of the regional championship in 1996, branded as the Tiger Cup under sponsorship from Asia Pacific Breweries. Held across Singapore from 30 August to 2 September, the tournament introduced a dedicated biennial competition for senior men's national teams from Southeast Asian AFF member associations, distinct from multi-sport events like the Southeast Asian Games. Thailand claimed the title with a 1–0 victory over Malaysia in the final at the National Stadium, attended by over 30,000 spectators.[2][6] The Tiger Cup continued biennially, with Thailand dominating early editions by winning again in 2000 (defeating Indonesia in the final) and 2002 (beating Vietnam on penalties after a two-legged final). Singapore secured victories in 1998 (over Vietnam) and 2004 (edging Vietnam 5–2 on aggregate in the final), highlighting the growing competitiveness among host nations and regional powerhouses. The format typically featured group stages with invited teams from outside ASEAN, followed by knockouts, though participation varied due to qualification rounds introduced later.[7][8] After the Tiger Beer sponsorship concluded following the 2004 edition, the 2007 tournament was renamed the AFF Championship and won by Singapore in a two-legged final against Thailand. Entering 2008, Suzuki Motor Corporation assumed naming rights, rebranding it the AFF Suzuki Cup and underscoring the event's evolution into a commercially viable showcase for Southeast Asian football, with ten core AFF members—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—forming the primary contenders.[6][2]2008 Edition Specifics
The 2008 AFF Championship was the seventh edition of the tournament and the first under the AFF Suzuki Cup naming rights, secured by Japanese automaker Suzuki as the title sponsor.[9] A qualification round for non-seeded teams took place from 17 to 25 October 2008 at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, determining the final participants alongside the seeded nations.[10] The finals featured a unique co-hosting arrangement for the group stage, with Group A held in Indonesia from 5 to 10 December 2008 and Group B in Thailand over the same dates; this decentralized format deviated from single-host precedents in prior editions.[10] Political unrest in Bangkok prompted Thailand to relocate its group stage matches to Surakul Stadium in Phuket.[3] The semi-finals and final adopted a two-legged home-and-away structure from 16 to 28 December 2008, involving the top two teams from each group.[10] Vietnam claimed its inaugural title by defeating Thailand 3-2 on aggregate in the final, highlighted by Lê Công Vinh's decisive header in the second leg on 28 December 2008 at Hanoi's Mỹ Đình National Stadium.[3] The tournament showcased emerging regional talent, with Vietnam's victory under coach Henrique Calisto marking a breakthrough amid competitive fields including defending champions Singapore and hosts Indonesia and Thailand.[8]Organization and Preparation
Qualification and Participating Teams
The qualification for the 2008 AFF Championship consisted of a preliminary round-robin tournament held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from October 17 to 25, 2008, featuring five lower-ranked ASEAN member associations: Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, and Timor-Leste.[1] These teams each played four matches, with the top two advancing to the main tournament based on points accumulated from wins, draws, and losses.[1] Laos finished first in the qualification group with 9 points, securing qualification ahead of Cambodia, which earned 7 points for second place.[1] Brunei, Philippines, and Timor-Leste were eliminated after placing lower in the standings.[1] The main tournament included eight teams: six directly seeded based on prior rankings and performance—Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—joined by the qualifiers Cambodia and Laos.[1] These were divided into two groups of four for the group stage: Group A comprised Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Cambodia; Group B included Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Laos.[1] The top two from each group advanced to the semifinals.[1]Venues and Scheduling
The 2008 AFF Championship, officially the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008, ran from 5 to 28 December 2008, encompassing a group stage from 5 to 10 December, semi-finals from 16 to 21 December, and finals on 24 and 28 December.[1] The tournament featured eight qualified teams divided into two groups, with matches scheduled in a centralized format for the group stage before shifting to two-legged knockout ties.[1] The group stage was co-hosted by Indonesia and Thailand, with Group B matches held in Phuket, Thailand, at Surakul Stadium due to political unrest in Bangkok that prevented use of central venues.[3] Group A took place in Indonesia, utilizing Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta and Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung.[1] Semi-finals were played as home-and-away legs across host nations and Singapore, including fixtures at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, and National Stadium in Singapore.[1] The final was contested over two legs between Thailand and Vietnam: the first on 24 December at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, and the second on 28 December at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, where Vietnam secured a 3–2 aggregate victory.[1]| Venue | City | Country | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surakul Stadium | Phuket | Thailand | Group B stage |
| Gelora Bung Karno Stadium | Jakarta | Indonesia | Group A stage, Semi-final |
| Si Jalak Harupat Stadium | Bandung | Indonesia | Group A stage |
| Rajamangala Stadium | Bangkok | Thailand | Semi-final, Final leg 1 |
| My Dinh National Stadium | Hanoi | Vietnam | Semi-final, Final leg 2 |
| National Stadium | Singapore | Singapore | Semi-final |
Squads and Officials
The eight teams in the final tournament each registered squads of 23 players, including at least three goalkeepers, in accordance with AFF eligibility rules requiring players to hold citizenship or residency qualifications for their national associations.[1] Squad announcements occurred primarily in late October and early November 2008, coinciding with pre-tournament training camps; for instance, Singapore's coach shortlisted an initial group of 30 players before finalizing the roster to defend their title.[11] Head coaches bore primary responsibility for squad selection and tactics. Vietnam's Henrique Calisto (Portugal), who had rejoined the team earlier that year after a prior stint, emphasized defensive organization and counter-attacks, drawing on experienced players like forward Lê Công Vinh for leadership in attack.[12][3] Thailand appointed Peter Reid (England) in July 2008, focusing on physical conditioning and set-piece execution during an intensive preparation phase.[13][14] Singapore retained Radojko Avramović (Serbia), whose squad balanced veterans with emerging talents to maintain their group-stage dominance.[11] Indonesia's Benny Dollo (Indonesia) prioritized local talent integration, initiating training sessions in early November despite minor injury setbacks among key forwards.[15]| Team | Head Coach |
|---|---|
| Cambodia | Not prominently documented in primary sources; focused on developmental players from qualifiers. |
| Indonesia | Benny Dollo |
| Laos | Limited details available; squad drawn from domestic league performers post-qualification. |
| Malaysia | K. Rajagopal (India-born Malaysian), emphasizing midfield control. |
| Myanmar | U Soe Myint, relying on disciplined unit from group play. |
| Singapore | Radojko Avramović |
| Thailand | Peter Reid |
| Vietnam | Henrique Calisto |
Competition Phases
Group Stage
The group stage of the 2008 AFF Championship involved two groups of four teams each, with Group A hosted by Indonesia across venues in Jakarta and Bandung, and Group B hosted by Thailand in Phuket. Matches occurred from 5 to 10 December 2008, with each team playing three round-robin fixtures. The top two teams from each group advanced to the semifinals.[1]Group A
Group A featured Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Singapore. Singapore topped the group undefeated, advancing with nine points from 10 goals scored and one conceded. Indonesia secured second place with six points, including heavy defeats of Myanmar (3–0 on 5 December at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta) and Cambodia (4–0 on 7 December at the same venue). Singapore's results included a 5–0 rout of Cambodia on 5 December and a decisive 2–0 win over Indonesia on 9 December at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, confirming their group leadership. Myanmar collected three points via a 3–2 victory against Cambodia on 9 December at Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung, but lost their other matches 3–1 to Singapore (7 December, Jakarta) and 3–0 to Indonesia. Cambodia finished last with zero points, conceding 12 goals across three defeats.[1]Group B
Group B comprised Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Thailand dominated with three wins and a perfect defensive record, scoring 11 goals without reply to claim nine points and first place. Key results included a 2–0 opening win over Vietnam on 6 December at Surakul Stadium, Phuket, a 6–0 demolition of Laos on 8 December at the same venue, and a 4–0 victory against Malaysia on 10 December. Vietnam earned six points for second place, rebounding from their loss to Thailand with a 3–2 triumph over Malaysia on 8 December and a 3–0 shutout of Laos on 10 December, both in Phuket. Malaysia took third with three points from a 3–0 win over Laos on 6 December, but fell 2–3 to Vietnam and 0–4 to Thailand. Laos ended pointless, shipping 13 goals in three losses.[1]Knockout Stage
The knockout stage of the 2008 AFF Championship consisted of two-legged semi-final ties and a two-legged final, played from 17 to 28 December 2008.[1] The matchups pitted the group stage winners against the runners-up from the opposite groups: Vietnam (Group A winner) against Singapore (Group B runner-up), and Thailand (Group B winner) against Indonesia (Group A runner-up).[17]Semi-finals
In the first semi-final, Vietnam hosted Singapore for the first leg on 17 December 2008 at Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hanoi, ending in a 0–0 draw.[18] The second leg took place on 21 December at the National Stadium in Singapore, where Vietnam secured a 1–0 victory through a goal by Nguyễn Minh Phước, advancing 1–0 on aggregate.[19] The other semi-final saw Indonesia host Thailand on 16 December 2008 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, with Thailand winning 1–0 via a goal from Teerasil Dangda.[20] In the return leg on 20 December at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand triumphed 2–1, with goals from Sutee Suksomkit and Douglas Martins, despite Indonesia's response from Firman Utina, qualifying Thailand 3–1 on aggregate.[21]| Semi-final | First leg | Second leg | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam vs. Singapore | 0–0 (17 Dec, Hanoi) | 0–1 (21 Dec, Singapore) | 1–0 |
| Indonesia vs. Thailand | 0–1 (16 Dec, Jakarta) | 1–2 (20 Dec, Bangkok) | 1–3 |
Final
The final matched Vietnam against Thailand. The first leg occurred on 24 December 2008 at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, where Vietnam staged a comeback to win 2–1, with goals from Lê Công Vinh and Nguyễn Quang Hải overturning an early strike by Thailand's Sutee Suksomkit.[4] The second leg on 28 December at Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hanoi finished 1–1, with Vietnam's Lê Công Vinh scoring the decisive equalizer in injury time after Thailand's Teerasil Dangda had taken the lead, securing Vietnam's first AFF Championship title with a 3–2 aggregate victory.[5][24]Results and Analysis
Key Matches and Outcomes
The knockout stage of the 2008 AFF Championship consisted of two-legged semifinals and final, determining the champion among the top teams from the group stage. Vietnam faced defending champions Singapore in one semifinal, while Thailand played Indonesia in the other.[17] In the Vietnam-Singapore semifinal, the first leg on December 17, 2008, ended in a 0–0 draw in Hanoi. The second leg on December 21 at the National Stadium in Singapore saw Vietnam secure a 1–0 victory through a goal by Nguyễn Minh Phương, advancing 1–0 on aggregate.[18][19] Thailand met Indonesia in the other semifinal. The first leg on December 16 in Jakarta resulted in a 0–1 win for Thailand, with Teeratep Winothai scoring the lone goal. The return leg on December 21 in Bangkok finished 2–1 to Thailand, with goals from Sutee Suksomkit and Anon Sangsanoi offsetting Indonesia's response, securing a 3–1 aggregate triumph.[25][1] The final pitted Vietnam against Thailand over two legs. The first leg on December 24 at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok ended 1–2 in favor of Vietnam, with Vũ Phong Khánh and Lê Công Vinh scoring for the visitors after Ronnachai Rangsiyo equalized for the hosts. The second leg on December 28 in Hanoi drew 1–1, with Vietnam's Phan Văn Santos replying to Thailand's Kiatisuk Senamuang penalty, clinching the title 3–2 on aggregate and marking Vietnam's inaugural AFF Championship victory.[4][5]Individual and Team Statistics
Thailand led the tournament in goals scored with 16, while Singapore conceded the fewest with only 1 goal against.[26] Vietnam, the eventual champions, recorded 11 goals for and 5 against, demonstrating defensive solidity en route to the title.[26] Laos finished without scoring any goals, conceding 13 in the group stage.[26]| Team | Goals For | Goals Against |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand | 16 | 5 |
| Vietnam | 11 | 5 |
| Singapore | 10 | 1 |
| Indonesia | 8 | 5 |
| Malaysia | 5 | 8 |
| Myanmar | 4 | 10 |
| Cambodia | 2 | 12 |
| Laos | 0 | 13 |