Football
After getting the better of India in a group stage, Nepal are aiming for an encore – this time in the final to win the elusive SAFF U-17 Championship title.
The match kicks off at 8:15pm NST in Colombo’s Racecourse International Stadium.
This is the sixth meeting between the two sides, with India holding an upper hand with four wins. Nepal recorded their maiden success against India only this past week when they came from a goal down to win 3-1.
Nepal will be taking a lot of heart from the victory into the final. “The group stage win has served as a morale booster. We will play as hard as did in our previous match to win the title,” Nepal U-17 coach Urjan Shrestha told the media in Colombo.
Team captain Prashant Laksam’s return from injury has given a further boost to the Nepali camp. And coach Shrestha is expected to field an unchanged side, looking to maintain the winning streak.
"All the players are fully fit and are playing their natural game,” he said. But he was quick to caution his players “to keep their feet firmly on the ground”.
“The final will be a different ball game altogether – and a difficult one at that,” he said.
India shrugged off the reverse against Nepal to recapture their rhythm in a 2-1 semi-final win over Bangladesh.
India have won the competition three times. Nepal, who were their rivals on all three occasions, lost 1-0 in 2013; 2-1 in 2017; and 6-0 in 2019.
The Nepali camp, however, is all charged up ahead of the eagerly-awaited contest. “We will play the final game as a team game. And we are ready for India,” coach Shrestha declared.
Probable teams for the final
Nepal: Khrishal Moktan (GK), Lachhu Thapa, Subash Bam, Nishant Tamang, Harish Raj Bhatta, Prashant Laksam (C), Ashwin Ghorasainee, Niraj Karki, Semanta Thapa, Dipak Thapa Magar, Unesh Budathoki
India: Sahil (GK), Ricky Meetei, Mukul Panwar, Manjot Singh Dhami, Gurnaj Singh Grewal, Korou Singh, Thanglalsoun Gangte, Vanlalpeka Guite (C), Boby Singh Yendrembam, Thokchom Malemngamba Singh, Danny Meetei Laishram
