India beats BD in SAFF Under-17 final match

 
India's stranglehold over the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-17 championship remained unscathed when it retained the title defeating Bangladesh 2-0 in the final of the 2024 edition at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimpu, Bhutan, on Monday. After a barren first half, Mohammed Kaif put India ahead with a header in the 58th minute. Whatever challenges Bangladesh was left with was finished off by Mohammed Arbash in the 90+5 minutes with a stinging left-footer.

Indian boys called the shot from the beginning, but it is never easy to find the target against a team, that refused to show interest in taking the ball ahead and taking the pitch with an utmost defensive mindset.

In such a scenario, set pieces remained the last resort and it helped the Indians too. In the second half India's first goal from a corner kick.

Kaif, who failed to touch the ball at the goalmouth in crucial times on a few occasions earlier, didn't repeat the same mistake again. His accurate header, a delicate flick rather, left little chance for Bangladesh custodian Nahidul Islam to react.

Bangladesh nearly equalized in the 67th minute when goalkeeper Aheibam Suraj Singh had to come out of his charge to avert a situation that had a goal written all over.

To the delight of the goodly spectators at the stadium, India was not ready to sit on the slender lead and carry the day with it. It looked eager to make it more emphatic and kept on its attacking posture.

India was rewarded for its persistence in stoppage time when the ball reached Arbash inside the box. He didn't wait and fired a left-footer that crashed against the net to ensure the Blue Colts travel back to India with the winners' trophy.

The first half was a repeat show of India's group league match against Bangladesh. While India attacked relentlessly, its rival packed the defence with half a dozen men and preferred to play the waiting game. Only once in the entire 45 minutes, Bangladesh came anywhere near the Indian goal; it was a move on the break and the cross at the goalmouth was intercepted in time by goalkeeper Suraj Singh.

India, on the other hand, was on the move from the word go; through the right, left and middle. It opened up the Bangladesh goalmouth time and again, but its lack of finishing touches was clear every time the ball travelled in the goalmouth.