SAFF Women's C'ship, India vs Maldives, as it happened: Tamang scores 4 in 9-0 win, India reach SF

IND 9-0 MDV, FT: A late flurry of goals sees India score 9 past a hapless Maldives to go top the group on goal difference ahead of Bangladesh. The two sides will meet in the final group match on Tuesday with the winner topping the group. Anju Tamang, with four goals is the player of the match with Dangmei Grace nabbing a brace. Priyangka, Soumya and Kashmina also joined the party late on.

IND 9-0 MDV, 90+5 min: India nearly make it 10-0 but Soumya cannot sort her feet out in front of goal. And that’s the end of the match. India go to top of the table!

IND 9-0 MDV, 90+2 min: Leeza makes once again fumbles trying to catch a cross. Kashmina looks to get to the ball but is tripped by the Maldives keeper. The referee blows the whistle and... it’s a freekick for Maldives. Should have been a penalty that.

IND 9-0 MDV, 90 min: MAKE THAT FOUR IN FOUR! Anju heads in from close range and a diving Leeza cannot stop the ball from going into the net. Anju breaks out the knee slide and you can see how charged up she is!

IND 8-0 MDV, 88 min: INDIA RUN RIOT! Grace tries her luck from distance and Leeza makes a meal of a routine save as the ball bounces off her hands and loops over her into goal.

IND 7-0 MDV, 87 min: ANJU GETS HER HATTRICK! Maldives fail to clear the ball in front of the goal and Anju fires the ball into the roof of the net. A deserved hattrick for the excellent Anju Tamang!

IND 6-0 MDV, 86 min: KASHMINA MAKES IT 6-0! Leeza rushes out to meet a long ball but it is stopped by Grace. The Maldives keeper has to scramble back to goal as Kashmina lines on up from way outside. Leeze gets her hands on the shot but the ball has enough power to roll into the net.

IND 5-0 MDV, 85 min: Ashalata has been brilliant on set pieces today. She swings a freekick in from the right which is almost turned into goal by a retreating Maldives defender.

IND 5-0 MDV, 80 min: Grace misses a good chance to score. Ranjana floated in a good cross to the back post which sails above Leeza. However, Grace cannot direct her header at goal. A minute later, Soumya rattles the crossbar!

IND 5-0 MDV, 77 min: We have two Maldives player down in front of their goal. Leeza has come off worst in a collision with Priyangka. There is a goalmouth scramble and the ball is bundled into goal but the referee has blown the whistle for the foul on Leeza. The Maldivian is back on her feet after getting treatment. India make their fifth change with Sandhiya coming off for Kiran Pisda.

IND 5-0 MDV, 70 min: Goalkeeper Leeza twice makes a meal of a routine clearance and finds herself out of the box with India in possession. Anju shoots into the empty net but is charged down by Fathimath Saina who takes the ball flush to her face. The referee stops play with the medics rushing to check on the prone Saina. Thankfully, she is back on her feet, although a bit shaken.

IND 5-0 MDV, 67 min: India make two more changes. Goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan, who has had precious little to do today, comes off for Maibam Devi. Ratanbala Devi comes off for Kashmina.

IND 5-0 MDV, 65 min: Ratanbala Devi goes close! India get a freekick outside the box to the left. The Indian no 7 goes for the top corner but the ball flies just over the top. A minute later, Anju gets into the box but her low shot is saved well by Leeza.

IND 5-0 MDV, 62 min: India go close twice to make it 6-0. First Anju’s low cross towards the far post is just beyond Soumya’s reach. A couple of minutes later, Ashalata Devi swings in a very good freekick but Anju finds the side netting with her header at the far post.

IND 5-0 MDV, 57 min: SOUMYA SCORES! Ashalata floats in a cross from a short corner and Soumya slides in to slot the ball into the bottom corner! Soumya breaks out the “SIUUUU” as India score two in two minutes.

IND 4-0 MDV, 55 min: DANGMEI GRACE MAKES IT 4-0! Grace gets on the end of a ball from the defence and calmly rounds the keeper before picking her spot in the open net.

IND 3-0 MDV, 50 min: As it turns out, India have indeed made a couple of substituitons at the break. Ritu Rani has been replaced by Juli Kishan while Soumya Guguloth has come on for Renu.

IND 3-0 MDV, 46 min: Looks like India haven’t made any changes at halftime.With Bangladesh putting six past Pakistan earlier today, India need to score at least four more in the second half to top the group.

IND 3-0 MDV, HT: India have done enough to secure a place in the semifinal. Given the condition of the pitch, coach Suren Chettri should probably take off India’s best players Anju and Grace to protect them from any possible injuries.

IND 3-0 MDV, HT: Two goals in five minutes for India at the end of a scrappy first half. Anju gave India the lead at the 24th minute before Priyangka doubled it with a fizzer three minutes from half time. Anju then got her second from an easy tap in with the last kick of the half.

IND 3-0 MDV, 45+2 min: ANJU MAKES IT 3-0! Ratanbala Devi takes a crack at goal from just oustide the box. The ball is tipped on to the bar by Leeza and it bounces back out and hits her. Anju is the quickest to react and gets an easy tap in to give India a 3-0 lead at the break.

IND 2-0 MDV, 45 min: The fourth official has indicated two minutes of added time to the first half.

IND 2-0 MDV, 43 min: INDIA DOUBLE THEIR LEAD! Grace’s corner comes to Priyangka, who slips and recovers to unleash a vicious left-footer that squeezes through Leeza.

IND 1-0 MDV, 40 min: Defender Fatima Theeba, who has been taking Maldives’ goalkicks, is shown the yellow card for time wasting. That’s probably the earliest I have seen someone be booked for time wasting.

IND 1-0 MDV, 35 min: The rain has battered the pitch with brown patches dotting the field. The condition of the pitch has affected the quality of play with passess falling short and players slipping. Not ideal and increases the risk of player injuries.

IND 1-0 MDV, 30 min: How did Grace miss that??!! Ranjana floats in a good cross from the left and Grace is totally unmarked at the back post. Leeza has all but given up but Grace’s header across goal flies wide

IND 1-0 MDV, 24 min: ANJU SCORES! Anju and Ashalata play a short corner and the former lets loose from distance. Leeza tries to flick the ball over the bar but is unsuccesful. India finally break down the Maldivian resistance.

IND 0-0 MDV, 20 min: India nearly get the lead after Leeza lets the ball slip from her grasp from a speculative long ranger. Fortunately for Maldives, the ball rolls past the post.

IND 0-0 MDV, 15 min: Maldives are living a charmed life here. Dangmei Grace spotted Anju Tamang’s run into the box but the Indian No 9 blazes her attempt over goal from a good position. At the other end, the Indian defence bungles their attempt to play out from the back allowing Maldives to win their first corner. Nothing comes off it.

IND 0-0 MDV, 10 min: Big, big save from Aminath Leeza! Dangmei Grace is sent through on goal and looks destined to score in a one-on-one. Leeza rushes out to close down the angle and makes a big save.

IND 0-0 MDV, 5 min: A frenetic first five minutes for India. First Anju Tamang’s attempt is cleared off the line. Ranjana Chanu tries her luck from distance but it’s gathered at the second time of asking by the keeper. India then get an indirect free-kick in the Maldives box but the attempt is deflected behind goal.

IND 0-0 MDV, 1 min: And we’re underway! India can join Bangladesh in the semifinal if they win today.

India’s starting XI: Aditi Chauhan (GK), Manisa Panna, Ashalata Devi (C), Priyangka Devi, Ratanbala Devi, Anju Tamang, R. Sandhiya, Dangmei Grace, Ranjana Chanu, Ritu Rani

Just one change for India today. Ritu Rani comes in for Michel Castanha at right back.

05.00 pm: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Indian football as the senior women’s team continue their title defence at SAFF Women’s Championship.

In the Group A opening match in Kathmandu, Ashalata Devi and Co defeated Pakistan 3-0. Today, they take on Maldives. Kickoff at 5.15 pm IST. Maldives lost their first match 3-0 to Bangladesh.

India’s 23-player squad:

GOALKEEPERS: Aditi Chauhan, Maibam Linthoingambi Devi, Sowmiya Narayanasamy.

DEFENDERS: Sweety Devi, Ritu Rani, Ashalata Devi, Ranjana Chanu, Manisa Panna, Michel Castanha, Juli Kishan, Santosh.

MIDFIELDERS: Anju Tamang,Priyangka Devi, Martina Thokchom, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Kashmina, Ratanbala Devi.

FORWARDS: Dular Marandi, Apurna Narzary, Soumya Guguloth, Renu, Kiran Pisda, Dangmei Grace.

HEAD COACH: Suren Chettri.