The Indian U-16 national team has won its SAFF U-16 Championship semifinal against Afghanistan to advance to the final.

Afghanistan had the better start into the game with an early chance for striker Nasar Ahmad. But India keeper Dheeraj Singh had no issues to save the shot in the 4th minute.

Prosenjit Chakraborty had the first chance for the Indian team, when the skipper attempted a header off a corner kick. Prosenjit’s header went straight into the hands of Rasuli and the scoreline remained 0-0.

Jerry Lalrinzuala had the next chance for India as the youngster fired a long-range shot just to see it going wide. Minutes later Afganistan striker Nasar Ahmad beat the off-side trap to face Dheeraj Singh in an one-on-one. The Indian keeper kept his cool and saved the shot by the Afghan player.

Afghanistan looked like the better side in the second half, but India managed to keep the clean sheet and even had another scoring opportunity when Surya Tirkey missed the sitter.

The match ended 0-0 after the regulation time and it needed a penalty shoot-out to find a winner.

India won the penalty shoot-out 4-3. Goutam Ghosh’s team will now face hosts Nepal in the final.

SAFF U-16 Championship | Semifinal 2
INDIA 0-0 AFGHANISTAN [regulation time]
INDIA 4-3 AFGHANISTAN [on penalties]

GOALS
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PENALTY SHOOT-OUT
0-0 Krishna Pandit (India) – misses
0-1 Waziri (Afghanistan) – scores
1-1 Laishram Bedashwor Singh (India) – scores
1-2 Nasar Ahmad (Afghanistan) – scores
2-2 Prosenjit Chakraborty (India) – scores
2-2 Said Jalal (Afghanistan) – misses
3-2 Surya Tirkey (India) – scores
3-3 Sardari (Afghanistan) – scores
4-3 Aaron Rodrigues (India) – scores
4-3 Rehazi (Afghanistan) – misses

LINE-UPS

India
M Dheeraj Singh; M Jayananda Singh, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Prosenjit Chakraborty [C], Amit Tudu, Amey Ranawade; Kyntiew Kharlukhi (54′ Bodo Baoringdao), Surya Tirkey, Deependra Singh Negi; Laishram Bedashwor Singh, Krishna Pandit

Unused Subs
Anuj Kumar, Subrata Das; T Kishan Singh, Nuruddin, Zonunmawia, Anirudh Thapa, Aaron Rodrigues, Chanmitre Thma, Sourav Chakraborty, Edmund Lalrindika, Mohammed Hasil

Afghanistan
Rasuli; Samir, Rezahi, Sardari, Mortaza, Mohd. Zamir, Said Jalal, Islamudinzafari, Faisal, Mansory, Nasar Ahmad

Unused Subs
…

BOOKINGS

Yellow Cards
65′ Nasar Ahmad (Afghanistan)
74′ Amit Tudu (India)

Yellow-Red Cards
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Red Cards
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