India secured their second consecutive victory in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) championship by defeating Nepal 2-0, thus securing a spot in the semifinals. Kuwait also advanced from Group A alongside India.
Unfortunately, the match was marred by another altercation between players, reminiscent of the previous game against arch-rivals Pakistan, where the Indian team was involved in a fight.
During the Nepal match, India had a 1-0 lead with a goal scored by captain Sunil Chhetri in the 61st minute before the brawl erupted in the 64th minute. Rahul Bheke from India and Bimal Gharti Magar from Nepal engaged in a scuffle, prompting players from both sides to intervene. The game was temporarily halted before resuming. A video of the incident can be viewed for reference.
After play resumed, India added another goal in the 70th minute, this time by Mahesh Singh. The score remained unchanged for the rest of the game, resulting in a 2-0 victory for India.
This win marked India’s second consecutive triumph following their 4-0 victory against Pakistan in the previous match. With six points from two games, India is on the verge of securing a place in the tournament’s semifinals. Currently, they occupy the second position in Group A.
Apart from India, Pakistan, and Nepal, Kuwait is the fourth team in Group A. Notably, Kuwait has also won both their matches against Nepal and Pakistan, making them the other semifinalist from Group A. However, Kuwait leads the group with seven goals in two games, while India has scored six. The decisive match between India and Kuwait will take place on June 27 as their final group game.
In Group B, the teams Lebanon, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Bhutan have only played one game each. Lebanon and Maldives emerged victorious in their respective matches against Bangladesh and Bhutan.
The semifinals of the SAFF Championship are scheduled for Saturday, July 1, and the final will take place on Tuesday, July 4.
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