The 1953 Colombo Cup was the second edition of the Colombo Cup held in Rangoon, Burma. India won the cup for a second time by winning all thee matches.[1] It was India's first outright win in an international football tournament played abroad.[2] The team received the rolling Colombo Cup and a Special Burma Cup for permanent retention.[3]

1953 Colombo Cup
Tournament details
Host countryBurma
Dates23 October – 2 November 1953
Teams4 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions India (2nd title)
Runners-up Pakistan
Third place Burma
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Goals scored22 (3.67 per match)
1952
1954

Overview

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The India team arrived in Rangoon on 22 October 1953 and the Pakistan side, a week before. The Indian Express described the Aung San Stadium, where all matches were to be played, as having "concrete and semi permanent stands all around the ground" with a capacity of 30,000. The rules of the tournament had not made wearing boots mandatory.[4] Four of India's players — Sailen Manna, Ahmed Khan, Pansanttom Venkatesh and M. Thangaraj (in the second half) — played bare-footed against Pakistan in the tournament's first game, on 23 October.[5]

Squads

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Ceylon[1] India[6] Pakistan[4]
  • T. H. Soono (captain)
  • M. Sheriff
  • O. L. M. H. Deen
  • A. C. M. Junaid
  • A. C. M. Khan
  • Karunapala Fernando
  • T. Bongso
  • L. Cornelies
  • Andrew Fernando
  • T. J. Azeez
  • M. T. A. Ossen
  • Peter Ranasinghe
  • Basheer Ahmed
  • K. A. Premadasa
  • A. R. Jailabdeen
  • M. I. M. Laheer
  • K. S. Richard
  • K. Poddiappuhamy

Points table

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(C) refers to champions

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   India (C) 3 3 0 0 7 2 +5 6
2   Pakistan 3 1 1 1 7 2 +5 4
3   Burma 3 1 1 1 6 7 -1 4
4   Ceylon 3 0 1 2 2 11 -9 1

Matches

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India  1–0  Pakistan
D'Souza   59' Report
Referee: U. Kim Teikh (Myanmar)

Burma  3–2  Ceylon
Samuel   22', 60', 64' Report Ossen   21'
Azeez   47'

India  2–0  Ceylon
Venkatesh   ?'
Khan   35'
Report
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Maung May Lay (Myanmar)

Burma  1–1  Pakistan
Ba Kyu   60' (pen.) Report Ismail   49'

Burma  2–4India  
Samuel   ?'
Ba Kyu   60'
Report Thangaraj   4', ?'
Venkatesh   ?'
Khan   ?'
Referee: Mahomed Shah (Pakistan)

  Pakistan6–0  Ceylon
Akbar Jan   7'
Ismail   10', 13'
Gunaid   11' (o.g.)
Kutty   37', 42'
Report

References

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  1. ^ a b Morrison, Neil (1999). "Asian Quadrangular Tournament (Colombo Cup) 1952–1955: 1953 (Rangoon, Burma)". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Indian Team Celebrate". The Indian Express. 4 November 1953. p. 6. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  3. ^ "India Presented With Trophies". The Indian Express. 4 November 1953. p. 6. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Indian Soccer Team in Rangoon". The Indian Express. 23 October 1953. p. 6. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  5. ^ "India's Win". The Indian Express. 25 October 1953. p. 9. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Indian Soccer Team To Rangoon". The Indian Express. 21 October 1953. p. 6. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.