India entered the final of the South Asian Football Federation Cup for the tenth time after seeing off a late resurgence by Maldives in the semi-final at Thiruvananthapuram. The Blue Tigers won a thrilling match 3-2, thanks to a Jeje Lalpekhlua brace.
Sunil Chhetri opened the scoring for the home team in the 25th minute and Lalpekhlua added another in the 34th minute, as India created a flurry of chances in the first half. Their profligacy would come back to haunt them though, as Maldives edged back in the game through a strike in added time in the first half.
In a game where the defending was shambolic at times, Lalpekhlua added another in the 64th minute to give India some breathing space. But any hopes of a comfortable win were extinguished as Maldives' Amdaan Ali scored in the 75th minute to set up an exciting last few minutes. India eventually managed to hold on to their slender lead till the final whistle.
The hosts will face either defending champions Afghanistan or Sri Lanka in the final on January 3.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!