SAFF U-16 Championship Final: India vs Bangladesh Live Updates

5:15 PM: Hello everyone and welcome to Khel Now’s LIVE COVERAGE of the India vs Bangladesh Final match in the SAFF U-16 Championship 2023. The kick-off is just 15 minutes away! I am your host Atawaris Warsi and will keep you company through what promises a fascinating afternoon of football. Please wait for 30 Seconds for the Live blog to load.

SAFF U-16 Championship Final: India vs Bangladesh - Build-up

The picturesque Changlimithang Stadium, in Thimphu, Bhutan, is all set for the battle royale, as India and Bangladesh look to fight it out in the summit clash of the SAFF U-16 Championship 2023, on Sunday, September 10.

While the players from both sides get ready for what would be the biggest match of their embryonic careers so far, little would they be aware of the sheer history of the ground where the stadium was built. Indeed, it was in this area, that the Battle of Changlimithang was fought, a conflict that is believed to have eventually brought peace to the small Himalayan nation, which has over time, learned to value happiness above material wealth.

India and Bangladesh have already met each other in the first match of the tournament (the former winning 1-0), and the clash on Sunday could well serve to be a re-match of sorts.

India head coach Ishfaq Ahmed said, “We have worked so hard to get here, but we know that Bangladesh are a tough side, and we will have to work even harder to beat them in the final and achieve the dream.”

The Blue Colts finished top of Group A, defeating both Bangladesh and Nepal (both matches ending in 1-0 victories), before putting eight goals past the Maldives in the semi-final. While his boys exhibited a brand of free-flowing football, exerting complete dominance over the Maldives in the last match, Ahmed believes the final will be a totally different ballgame.

“We have played against them, and we expect them to be a very physical side. But this will be a good experience for the boys to show their quality. They are good at set-pieces and winning the 50-50 balls, so we cannot let our guard down. They have certainly improved over the last couple of matches,” he said.

The India U-16s began training approximately a month before the SAFF U-16 Championship in Srinagar, and the boys have grown exponentially since then.