Tajikistan players toss their coach Sharif Nazarov in the air after their triumph.

DHAKA: As soon as Iranian referee Hedayat Mombini blew the final whistle, Tajikistan footballers went into wild celebration on the pitch at the Bangabandhu National Stadium following their 4-0 triumph over Sri Lanka in the final of the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup.

And they immediately rushed to the byline and circled coach Sharif Nazarov, giving the old man big hugs before tossing him into the air.

It was a hard team work that gave Tajikistan success but the mastermind behind it was 60-year-old Nazarov, who feels still young at heart.

“I may look old but I feel the youth is still inside. I want to work as long as I am alive," said Nazarov, who breathes football.

The veteran said that he expected the victory would be a boost for his countrymen, especially after winning a tournament of national teams after club success in the AFC President’s Cup last year.

“We came here to win the trophy and we are champions. Certainly, this victory is going to develop the game in our country," he said.

“We have also proved that we are able to play at a higher level. I congratulate my players for keeping the tempo from the start and winning it."

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.