en 2023 SAFF Women%27s International Friendly Tournament (Taif)

2023 SAFF Women's International Friendly Tournament
Tournament details
Host country	Saudi Arabia
Dates	18–30 September
Teams	6 (from 3 sub-confederations)
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	Lebanon (1st title)
Runners-up	Bhutan
Third place	Malaysia
Fourth place	Saudi Arabia
Tournament statistics
Matches played	11
Goals scored	16 (1.45 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Lili Iskandar; (3 goals)
Best player(s)	Deki Lhazom
Best goalkeeper	Nurul Azurin binti
	← 2023 (Khobar)

The 2023 SAFF Women's International Friendly Tournament was the 2nd edition of the SAFF Women's International Friendly Tournament organized by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF). Taif was selected as the host city by the SAFF Women's Football Committee in September 2023. On 21 August 2023, the SAFF confirmed that the tournament would take place between 18 and 30 September 2023.^[1]

The competition saw an expansion of participating teams from four in the first edition to six in this edition.^[2]

Saudi Arabia were the defending champions having won last edition in Khobar, but were eliminated in the semi-finals by Bhutan after extra time.^[3] Lebanon were crowned champions for the first time after defeating Bhutan 1–0, also after extra time.^[4]

Participating teams

The second SAFF Women's International Friendly Tournament featured teams from six different nations, representing three Asian regional sub-confederations: WAFF (West Asia), SAFF (South Asia), and AFF (ASEAN).^[5]

Qualified teams

The following six teams participated in the tournament:

Team	Appearance	Last appearance	FIFA Ranking^[a]	Previous best performance
Saudi Arabia	2nd	2023 (Khobar)	172th	Champions (2023 (Khobar))
Bhutan	1st	N/A	169th	Debut
Laos	1st	N/A	87th	Debut
Lebanon	1st	N/A	137th	Debut
Malaysia	1st	N/A	89th	Debut
Pakistan^[6]	2nd	2023 (Khobar)	157th	Runners-up (2023 (Khobar))

^ As published on 25 August 2023

Venue

All the matches of the tournament are being held exclusively at the King Fahd Stadium in Taif.^[7]

Taif	Taif
	King Fahd Sports City
	Capacity: 20,000

Squads

Format

The tournament follows a group-stage format, where the six competing teams were drawn into two groups of three. The top two teams of each group advance to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, the third-placed teams from both groups play in a match to determine the 5th place. The winners of the semi-finals secure a spot in the final, while the defeated teams face off for third place.^[8]

Group Stage

All times are local, SAST (UTC+03:00).

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Saudi Arabia (H)	2	1	1	0	1	0	+1	4	Knockout stage
2	Malaysia	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	Knockout stage
3	Pakistan	2	0	1	1	0	1	−1	1

Source: SAFF
(H) Hosts

18 September

20:30

Saudi Arabia	0–0	Malaysia
	Report

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

21 September

20:30

Malaysia	0–0	Pakistan
	Report

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

24 September

20:30

Pakistan	0–1	Saudi Arabia
	Report	Hawsawi 90'

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Lebanon	2	2	0	0	7	3	+4	6	Knockout stage
2	Bhutan	2	0	1	1	2	3	−1	1	Knockout stage
3	Laos	2	0	1	1	1	4	−3	1

Source: SAFF

18 September

17:30

Laos	1–4	Lebanon
Chinda 81'	Report	Arabi 13' C. Iskandar 60' Raed 65' L. Iskandar 70'

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

Referee: Nodira Mirzoeva (Tajikistan)

21 September

17:30

Lebanon	3–2	Bhutan
L. Iskandar 30' Salha 61' Awad 64'	Report	Lhazom 82', 86' (pen.)

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

Referee: Shahenda El Maghrabi (Egypt)

24 September

17:30

Bhutan	0–0	Laos
	Report

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

Placement match

	5th place

	28 September – Taif

	Pakistan	1 (4)

	Laos	1 (2)

Fifth place match

28 September

17:30

Pakistan	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Laos
Z. Shah 58'	Report	Xayapaserd 63'
Penalties
Z. Shah Hirani Malik Malika-e-Noor M. Khan	4–2	Phatthalavady Kemmy Phanykone Chinda Saysamone

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

Referee: Nodira Mirzoeva (Tajikistan)

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, extra-time and a penalty shoot-out will be used to decide the winner if necessary.

Bracket

Semi-finals		Final

27 September – Taif

Saudi Arabia	0
		30 September – Taif
Bhutan (a.e.t.)	1
		Bhutan	0
27 September – Taif
		Lebanon (a.e.t.)	1
Lebanon (p)	0 (4)

Malaysia	0 (3)
		Third Place match

		30 September – Taif

		Saudi Arabia	0

		Malaysia	1

Semi-finals

27 September 2023

20:30

Saudi Arabia	0–1 (a.e.t.)	Bhutan
	Report	Bidha 112'

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

Referee: Nodira Mirzoeva (Tajikistan)

27 September 2023

17:30

Lebanon	0–0 (a.e.t.)	Malaysia
	Report
Penalties
L. Iskandar Salha Abdin C. Iskandar Awad Arabi Bou Hamra Al Kasti	4–3	Sarge Sarah Arissa Soberi Saidin Mazlan Usman Irdina

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

Referee: Khuloud AlZaabi (United Arab Emirates)

Third-place match

30 September 2023

16:30

Saudi Arabia	0–1	Malaysia
	Report	Steffi 45'

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

Final

30 September 2023

20:30

Bhutan	0–1	Lebanon
	Report	L. Iskandar 102'

King Fahd Sports City, Taif

Referee: Nodira Mirzoeva (Tajikistan)

Goalscorers

There were 16 goals scored in 11 matches, for an average of 1.45 goals per match.

3 goals

Lili Iskandar

2 goals

Deki Lhazom

1 goal

Notes

References

^ "Pakistan to Participate in 6-Nation Women's Football Tournament in Saudi Arabia". propakistani.pk. 21 August 2023.
^ "السعودية تنظم بطولة ودية للسيدات بمشاركة 6 منتخبات عربية وآسيوية وأوروبية". كورة بلس. September 4, 2023.
^ "«البطولة الدولية للسيدات»: بوتان ولبنان إلى النهائي… والبرونزية بين السعودية وماليزيا" [The Women's International Championship: Bhutan and Lebanon in the final... with the bronze match between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia]. awsat.com (in Arabic). 27 September 2023.
^ "LEBANESE WOMEN NATIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONS OF FRIENDLY FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT IN TAIF". nna-leb.gov.lb. 1 October 2023.
^ "سيدات لبنان يبحثن عن لقب جديد في السعودية". كووورة. September 14, 2023.
^ "PFF names squad for women's international tournament in Saudi Arabia". The Nation. September 16, 2023.
^ "Squad for Women's Six-Nation Football Tournament in Saudi Arabia".
^ "Pakistan Women's Schedule for 6-Nation Tournament in Saudi Arabia Unveiled".

[6] As published on 25 August 2023

[1] "Pakistan to Participate in 6-Nation Women's Football Tournament in Saudi Arabia". propakistani.pk. 21 August 2023.

[2] "السعودية تنظم بطولة ودية للسيدات بمشاركة 6 منتخبات عربية وآسيوية وأوروبية". كورة بلس. September 4, 2023.

[3] "«البطولة الدولية للسيدات»: بوتان ولبنان إلى النهائي… والبرونزية بين السعودية وماليزيا" [The Women's International Championship: Bhutan and Lebanon in the final... with the bronze match between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia]. awsat.com (in Arabic). 27 September 2023.

[4] "LEBANESE WOMEN NATIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONS OF FRIENDLY FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT IN TAIF". nna-leb.gov.lb. 1 October 2023.

[5] "سيدات لبنان يبحثن عن لقب جديد في السعودية". كووورة. September 14, 2023.

[7] "PFF names squad for women's international tournament in Saudi Arabia". The Nation. September 16, 2023.

[8] "Squad for Women's Six-Nation Football Tournament in Saudi Arabia".

[9] "Pakistan Women's Schedule for 6-Nation Tournament in Saudi Arabia Unveiled".

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2023 SAFF Women's International Friendly Tournament (Taif)

Participating teams

Qualified teams

Venue

Squads

Format

Group Stage

Group A

Group B

Placement match

Fifth place match

Knockout stage

Bracket

Semi-finals

Third-place match

Final

Goalscorers

Notes

References

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