Lacklustre India enter semis despite defeat to Nepal
Defending champions India dished out yet another lacklustre performance to go down 1-2 against hosts Nepal but still managed to sail through to the semifinals of the SAFF Football Championships in Kathmandu on Thursday.
Defending champions India dished out yet another lacklustre performance to go down 1-2 against hosts Nepal but still managed to sail through to the semifinals of the SAFF Football Championships in Kathmandu on Thursday.
The six-time champions were clearly the inferior side in their last Group A match at a packed Dasarath Stadium and they were lucky to make it to the last four stage after Pakistan beat Bangladesh 2-1 in another simultaneous match.
India and Pakistan ended on four points behind Group A toppers Nepal — who garnered seven points from two wins and one draw — but Wim Koevermans’ men qualified for the semifinals as group runners-up having beaten Pakistan 1-0 in the head-to-head encounter.
The win was Nepal’s second against India in 12 matches in all-time head-to-head contest, according to FIFA records. The earlier win by Nepal was through penalty shootout in the 1993 SAF Games in Dhaka after the two sides were locked 2-2 after regulation and extra time.
In the semis, India will play the Group A winners which will be decided after Friday’s match between Maldives and Afghanistan.