SAFF U-19 Championships: India Edge Out Bangladesh In Thriller To Retain Title
The blue colts claimed their second title on the trot with a 4-3 win over Bangladesh on penalties after the game ended tied at 1-1.
The Indian men's unit successfully defended the SAFF U-19 Championships crown with a win over Bangladesh at Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday, as the blue colts claimed their second title on the trot with a 4-3 win over Bangladesh on penalties after the game ended tied at 1-1.
India seized the lead in the second minute through captain Singamayum Shami before Bangladesh pegged their rivals back on level terms in the 61st minute through Mohamed Joy Ahamed. The hosts held their nerve to pip the visitors in the tie-breaker shootout to hold on to the crown.
India showcased utter dominance in front of a roaring Arunachal Pradesh crowd, winning 8-0 and 4-0 against Sri Lanka and Nepal, respectively, in the group stage, and 3-0 against the Maldives in the semifinal en route to the championship clash. Bangladesh made it to the summit clash with a 2-1 win over Nepal in the semis, only to fall at the final hurdle to Bibiano Fernandes' men.
India had come flying out of the blocks. Within two minutes, they were ahead. Awarded a free-kick from over 30 yards out, Shami spotted the Bangladesh keeper slightly out of position and went for goal. His curling strike was pinpoint, and even though Mahin got a hand to it, the power behind the effort carried it into the net.
India rode the momentum, dominating possession and pushing Bangladesh on the back foot. Their passing was crisp, their movement sharp, and their wings once again proved their most potent weapon. In the 16th minute, Omang Dodum sliced through the defence with a solo run and was nearly in for a second, but Mahin made a vital save to keep Bangladesh in the contest.
Those missed chances would come back to haunt India.
Bangladesh, rattled at first, grew into the game. They closed down spaces, cut off India's passing channels, and slowly turned the tide. By half-time, they had begun to threaten with set-pieces, but India's backline stood firm.
The breakthrough came in the 61st minute. A chaotic corner sparked a scramble in the box, and Md Joy Ahamed pounced on the loose ball, firing it past Suraj Singh to level the match. It was the first goal India had conceded in the tournament, and it came at the worst possible moment.
From there, both teams pressed for a winner, but the game turned cagey and physical. The final third became a battlefield, and clear-cut chances were few and far between.
With the whistle blowing for full time, it all came down to the tie-breaker. And India captain Shami rose to the occasion a second time to bury the final penalty into the net and send his team and the crowd into delirium.
(With Inputs From AIFF)
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