Insipid India suffer 1-2 loss to Maldives in SAFF Cup final

DEFENDING CHAMPS INDIA DOMINATED THE MATCH BUT MALDIVES SCORED FROM THE FEW CHANCES THEY GOT TO LIFT THE TROPHY

DHAKA: Poor finishing and scrappy defending put paid to India’s quest for an eighth South Asian Football Federation Cup title as it suffered a 1-2 defeat against Maldives in the summit clash here on Saturday.

India, the defending champions, largely dominated the match with better ball possession and more shots at the opposition goal but the Maldives team scored from the few chances it got to lift the winner’s trophy for the second time. Maldives had also won the title in 2008 edition which they co-hosted.

Ibrahim Mahudhee Hussain and Ali Fasir scored in the 19th and 66th minutes respectively for Maldives against the run of play. Sumeet Passi (90+2 minute) pulled one back for India in the second minute of the injury time at the Bangabandhu Stadium.

India, fielding an Under-23 side except for one player, were chasing their eight triumph in 12 editions and their third back-to-back title. But their forwards failed to put the ball on target on several occasions while defenders lacked coordination. India had beaten Maldives 2-0 in the group stage.

The Stephen Constantine coached India probably played the worst match of the tournament after making emphatic wins in the group stage and the semi-final.

India were going into the summit clash with a lot of confidence after an all-win record and having conceded just one goal in their earlier three matches.

In the fifth minute, Nikhil Poojary delivered a looping ball to Salam Ranjan Singh who, however, mistimed his header to waste the chance.

It was, however, Maldives who took the lead in the 19th minute with Ibrahim Mahudhee Hussain’s right footed shot from the centre of the box past Indian goalkeeper Vishal Kaith.