Kathmandu (Nepal): The India U20 men’s football team lost to Bangladesh 3-4 on penalties after being held 1-1 in regulation time in the semifinal of the SAFF U20 Championship at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur, Nepal, on Monday. Bangladesh, who led 1-0 at the breather, will meet hosts Nepal in the final on Wednesday.
Two crucial penalty saves by Bangladesh’s substitute goalkeeper Mohammed Asif led to the defending champions India’s ouster from the tournament.
Both teams displayed commendable defensive organisation, but Asif’s brilliance under the bar in the penalty shootout separated the two sides. Asadul Islam Sakib put Bangladesh in the lead in the 36th minute, while India’s captain Ricky Meetei Haobam scored in the 74th minute to bring India back into the game.
The match began with India showing composure and control in the early stages. India had their first real opportunity in the fifth minute when Korou Singh Thingujam found space inside the box. However, his header from Ebindas Yesudasan’s cross proved mistimed.
India continued to press forward but they were thwarted when in the 10th minute, Manglenthang Kipgen, set up Korou Singh, was thwarted by the Bangladeshi goalkeeper Mehdi Hasan Srabon while in the 15th minute, Gwgwmsar Goyary was denied an opportunity by the Bangladesh defence at the expense of a corner.
Both teams were evenly matched. Though India had a slight edge in attacks, Bangladesh’s defence remained resolute and gradually grew into the game. In the 17th minute, Bangladesh’s Mohammed Rabby Rahul unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box, but India goalkeeper Priyansh Dubey made an outstanding save to keep his team in the contest.
The first breakthrough came in the 36th minute when Bangladesh capitalised on a defensive error by India. A cross from the left by Mohammed Rabby Hossen Rahul found Bangladesh’s Asadul Molla inside the box, who volleyed it past Priyansh to give Bangladesh the lead.
The second half saw India pushing hard for an equaliser. In the 53rd minute, Korou Singh had a golden opportunity to draw level. After a brilliant run into the box, he found himself one-on-one with the Bangladeshi keeper.
However, a slight of judgement on his part saw the travelling wide of the mark. In the 61st minute, substitute Thanglalsoun Gangte’s strike from a promising position rattled the post much to the frustrations of the Indian bench.
Midway through the second half, Bangladesh goalkeeper Mehedi Hasan had to be carried off the field after a collision with an Indian attacker and was replaced by Mohammad Asif.
Finally, Ricky Meetei Haobam equalised in the 75th minute after receiving a well-timed pass from substitute Naoba Meitei Pangambam on the left. Ricky calmly slotted a low shot past Bangladesh goalkeeper Asif.
In the tiebreaker, India made a faulty start as Gangte’s shot was saved by Asif to leave Bangladesh with an advantage. After Pramveer, Goyary and Manjot Singh Dhami scored from the net from the next three attempts, the Bangladesh custodian once again came to his team’s rescue by blocking Akash Tirkey’s last shot.
Mohammed Pias Ahmed Nova, Moinul Islam Moin, Shakil Ahad Topu, and Ashraful Haque Asif made no mistake in their first four attempts to take Bangladesh to the final.
–IANS