1981 Merdeka Tournament

1981 Merdeka Tournament

Tournament details
Host country	Malaysia
Teams	11 (from 2 confederations)
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	Iraq (1st title)
Runners-up	Sao Paolo XI
Tournament statistics
Matches played	9
Goals scored	20 (2.22 per match)
← 1980 1982 →

The 1981 Merdeka Tournament was held from 30 August to 20 September 1981 in Malaysia.[1][2]

Group stage

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Japan	5	3	2	0	10	5	+5	8	Semifinal
2	India	5	2	2	1	7	5	+2	6
3	New Zealand	5	2	2	1	2	1	+1	6
4	United Arab Emirates	5	2	0	3	6	10	−4	4
5	Indonesia	5	1	1	3	5	7	−2	3
6	Malaysia	5	1	1	3	4	6	−2	3

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: ^[citation needed]

30 August 1981

Japan	2–0	Malaysia
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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1 September 1981

India	0–0	New Zealand
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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2 September 1981

United Arab Emirates	2–5	Indonesia
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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3 September 1981

India	2–3	Japan
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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4 September 1981

New Zealand	1–0	Malaysia
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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5 September 1981

India	2–0	United Arab Emirates
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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7 September 1981

New Zealand	0–0	Indonesia
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

8 September 1981

Japan	3–2	United Arab Emirates
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

9 September 1981

Indonesia	0–2	Malaysia
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

10 September 1981

New Zealand	0–1	United Arab Emirates
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

11 September 1981

India	1–0	Indonesia
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

12 September 1981

Japan	0–1	New Zealand
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

12 September 1981

United Arab Emirates	1–0	Malaysia
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

14 September 1981

Japan	2–0	Indonesia
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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14 September 1981

India	2–2	Malaysia
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Sao Paolo XI	4	4	0	0	12	2	+10	8	Semifinal
2	Iraq	4	2	1	1	13	4	+9	5
3	South Korea	4	1	2	1	4	4	0	4
4	Thailand	4	1	1	2	6	14	−8	3
5	Singapore	4	0	0	4	1	12	−11	0

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: ^[citation needed]

1 September 1981

Thailand	3–1	Singapore
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

3 September 1981

Sao Paolo XI	2–1	Iraq
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

4 September 1981

South Korea	2–0	Singapore
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

7 September 1981

Sao Paolo XI	2–0	South Korea
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

9 September 1981

Sao Paolo XI	3–0	Singapore
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

10 September 1981

Iraq	7–1	Thailand
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

13 September 1981

Iraq	1–1	South Korea
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

---

14 September 1981

Sao Paolo XI	5–1	Thailand
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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16 September 1981

Iraq	4–0	Singapore
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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16 September 1981

South Korea	1–1	Thailand
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

Knockout stage

	Semifinals				Final
	18 September – Kuala Lumpur
	Japan	0
					20 September – Kuala Lumpur
	Iraq	2
					Sao Paolo XI	0
	18 September – Kuala Lumpur
					Iraq	1
	Sao Paolo XI	2
	India	0

Semifinals

18 September 1981

Japan	0–2	Iraq
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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18 September 1981

Sao Paolo XI	2–0	India
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

Final

20 September 1981

Sao Paolo XI	0–1	Iraq
	Report

Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

References

1. "Merdeka Tournament 1981". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
2. "Merdeka Cup". Football Database. Retrieved 27 November 2022.