Tajikistan triumph over Sri Lanka in the final of the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup at the Bangabandhu National Stadium 4-0.

Sri Lanka coach Sampath Perera admitted that the better team won the cup. “We lacked finishing. But I am happy that with nine new and young players in the side, we came this far. This was after a long time that we played in a final of a major tournament and the runners-up trophy will make the people back home happy,Esaid Perera, who was captain of the side in 1995 when Sri Lanka won the South Asian regional SAARC Gold Cup at home.

“I am looking forward to a bright future of this team," he added.

Runners-up Sri Lanka also won the Fair Play Trophy. The Golden Boot went to Palestine striker Fahed Attal, who scored eight goals including a double-hattrick in their 11-0 win over Guam in the opening match. Tajikistan midfielder Ibraguim Rabimov was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the 16-team tournament that brought the emerging nations of Asia close for 16 days in Bangladesh.