The India U-16 colts progressed into the Finals of the SAFF U-16 Championship 2015 as they defeated Nepal 1-0 in the semi-final clash on Sunday (August 16, 2015) at the Sylhet District Stadium in Sylhet, Bangladesh.
The Indian contingent will now face hosts Bangladesh, who earlier had edged past Afghanistan 1-0 at the same venue.
Coming off a 1-2 defeat against Bangladesh in the Group Stages, the Indian colts showcased acumen and finesse in the arena as they mounted pressure on their opponents from the word go.
With both teams jostling for possession, the match became an end-to-end affair.
The Indian team jotted together an array of passes, which also led to the opening of the goal scoring tally for the colts.
In the 20th minute of the match, Rahim Ali latched onto a defence splitting ball by Amay Avinash, slyly evaded his marker, danced past the opposing defenders in the penalty box and exquisitely tapped home his opportunity to give the India a solitary goal advantage.
Leading 1-0 at half-time, the Indian colts held onto the solitary goal lead and disrupted the attacks of their opponents, whilst showing sheer determination and character, with utmost ease and grace. The score-line remained the same at the end of time, in favor of the Indian team.
(Report & Photo courtesy AIFF Media)