SAFF Cup: India vs Nepal - As it happened...
India fought back after an early goal down against Nepal to win their South Asian Football Federation Cup Group A match at the Trivandrum International Stadium in Kerala. Lallianzuala Chhangte scored a brace in his second match for India, and the 18-year-old became the youngest Indian to score an international goal, breaking Baiching Bhutia's record.
CONFIRMED: @AiffMedia and Sri Lanka qualify for the #SAFFSuzukiCup semi finals from Group A! pic.twitter.com/csGqS22xN8
— SAFF Suzuki Cup (@SAFFSuzukiCup) December 27, 2015
FT: #India defeat #Nepal 4-1, finish top of Group A and seal a place in the #SAFF semi-finals. #BackTheBlue #INDvNEP
— Indian Football Team (@AiffMedia) December 27, 2015
90+2' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67', Chhangte 81', 90') 4 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Biraj Maharjan cleaned up a messy looking defence for Nepal. Three minutes added.
90' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67', Chhangte 81', 90') 4 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: GOAL!!! Jeje Lalpekhlua tried another long ranger, and as usual failed to to hit the target. And moments later Lallianzuala Chhangte headed home his second goal. A perfect header to beat the Nepal goalie. Dream match for the two-match old Mizoram boy.
88' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67', Chhangte 81') 3 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: In the dying minutes, Nepal won a free-kick just outside the Indian box. But Jagjit Shrestha's attempt sailed over the bar.
And India brought in another youngster, Koushik Sarkar.
87' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67', Chhangte 81') 3 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Anjan Bista tried a long ranger but it failed to hit the target.
84' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67', Chhangte 81') 3 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Lallianzuala Chhangte, what a beauty from the youngster. The teenager from Mizoram made his presence felt with a solo, curling goal of highest order, which dumbfounded the Nepal goalie.
And he has become the youngest goal scorer for India.
80' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67') 2 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Augustine Fernandes almost scored an own goal while defending. Luckily for him and India, there was Subrata Pal in cover. Then, Nepal won their second corner kick of the match, and to no use.
76' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67') 2 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Jeje Lalpekhlua tried a long ranger but it failed to trouble Nepal goal-keeper.
74' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67') 2 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Holicharan Narzary, trying to pick a long ball, landed awkwardly and seemed to have pick-up an injury.
Then, Anil Gurung almost equalised for Nepal. But Subrata Pal produced a good save.
70' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67') 2 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Lallianzuala almost became the youngest ever Indian scorer. The 18-year-old's effort was cleared off the goal-line by Chaudhari. And Sunil Chhetri has been replaced by Jeje Lalpekhlua.
68' India (Borges 27', Chhetri 67') 2 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Sunil Chhetri scored his 11th SAFF cup goal. The Indian skipper produced a calm finish to give India lead from a Holicharan Narzary set-up.
Moments ago, Nepal brought their regular skipper Anil Gurung on for Nawayug.
64' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Timely tackle from Anjan Bista denied Eugeneson Lyngdoh a clear chance inside the Nepal box.
62' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Narayan Das overcooked on the left flanks, and wasted the chance. Aiborlang and Chhetri combined well to create the chance, but an over-confident Das wasted the chance.
60' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: India won the first corner of the match. And Augustin Fernandes, playing his third India match only, almost found the lead, but his effort from close range was blocked by the Nepal goal-keeper.
58' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Subrata Pal produced a brilliant save to deny Heman Gurung. In between, Bishal Rai has been replaced by Jagjit Shrestha.
57' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Off side for Nepal. Bishal Rai's run was ruled offside by the linesman.
56' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: As things stand now, India will top the Group with four points, and Nepal going home, finishing third behind Sri Lanka.
53' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: India, once again, controlled the possession game. But so far failed to convert any of those moves. In between, Nepal are more or less relying on counter attacks.
49' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: A close offside call denied India a chance. A release from Sunil Chhetri found Chhangte Lallianzuala at the edge of Nepal box.
48' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Heman Gurung almost provided Nepal the lead for the second time, but his effort was saved by Subrata Pal. Moments ago, India wasted a good build up with skipper Chhetri failing to control the ball inside the Nepal box.
46' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: After an entertaining first half, match resumed in Trivandrum. SUBs for both teams. 18 year old ChhangteLallianzuala on for Sanju Pradhan, while Jagjit Shrestha replaced Bimal Magar.
HT: Level pegging at half-time as the scoreline in #INDvNEP reads 1-1. #BackTheBlue #INDvNEP
— Indian Football Team (@AiffMedia) December 27, 2015
44' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Bishal Rai committed a foul on Lyngdoh just outside Nepal's box. Sunil Chhetri rolled the ball from the set-play, but India failed to make the most out of it. Goal kick to Nepal.
42' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Ranjit Dhimal sent in a cross which was collected by Subrata Pal.
40' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Quality of exchanges have certainly dropped since that early explosive phase. And Bimal Magar struggled to keep on his feet.
39' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Sunil Chhetri won a free-kick in the centre thanks to a reckless tackle on the Indian skipper.
38' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Aiborlang Khongjee won a free-kick inside Indian half. And from the restart, India pressed hard for an opening. But Holicharan Narzary's run was ruled offside.
34' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Heman Gurung had a long ranger missing the target. Subrata Paul happy to let it flew.
31' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: A wasted chance from India. Chhetri, at first failed to control the long ball inside the opponent box, but he did enough the regain it, and released it for his team-mate. Then, the ball went out of play.
29' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: After the re-start, Nepal have won a free-kick inside the Indian half, thanks to a foul from skipper Sunil Chhetri.
28' India (Borges 27') 1 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: GOAL!!! Finally, India's persistence paid off with Rowllin Borges finding the back of the nets from a scrambled team effort, from a free-kick.
22' India 0 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: A good period of play for India. Holicharan Narzary missed yet another chance from yet another long ball. In the process, Aditya Chaudhary got himself injured, and being attended.
21' India 0 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Another good move from India. An long ball from the right flank created chaos inside the Nepal box, but Sanju Pradhan's attempt just missed the near post.
18' India 0 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: India got their first attempt on the goal, with Holicharan Narzary trying a long ranger. But it failed to beat the Nepalese goal-kepper.
14' India 0 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Another dangerous move from Nepal with goal scorer Magar testing Indian goalkeeper.
8' India 0 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: Sunil Chhetri had a brilliant run, but his run inside the Nepal box was cut short by Aditya Chaudhary with a sliding tackle.
5' India 0 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: India tried their own attack, but was thwarted by a relatively younger Nepalese defensive line. And on the counter, Paul was once again summoned.
3' India 0 - 1 (Magar 3') Nepal: GOAL!!! What a start from Nepal. A defensive error from India allowed Nepal to take an early lead with Bimal Magar slotting from a rebound. Nawayug Shrestha did just enough to rob Augustin Fernandes of possession, and his effort was deflected from the far post.
2' India 0 - 0 Nepal: From a awkward start, Nepal got a free-kick inside the Indian half and Subrata Paul got the first feel of the ball. No harm done.
1' India 0 - 0 Nepal: India won the toss and Nepal started the proceedings. India are in their traditional blue, while Nepal are in all reds.
Players are already out. Time of national anthems.
