FT: Maldives 1-3 India

A lovely moment at the end. India display Farukh Choudhary’s jersey at the end of the match. The forward who assisted Chhetri’s winner against Nepal has suffered an ACL injury and will miss a big part of the ISL season.

FT: Maldives 1-3 India

India are through to their eighth successive SAFF Championship final. A Sunil Chhetri brace in the second half the difference as India top the points table with eight points. They will face Nepal in the final.

90+3’ Maldives 1-3 India

Subhasish Bose has been sent off for India for a second bookable offence. India down to ten men but should see this through.

90+1’ Maldives 1-3 India

Four minutes added on.

88’ Maldives 1-3 India

India have managed the game well since going 3-1 up. Maldives have been all over the place for most of this second half and a comeback seems quite unlikely now.

80’ Maldives 1-3 India

Igor Stimac is sent off. He is shown a second yellow by the referee. The reason is not clear but the Croatian has been notorious on the touchline and these are not his first yellow cards this tournament.

79’ Maldives 1-3 India

SAVE! The Maldivian free-kick goes through a host of bodies but Gurpreet does well to react and keep it out. Indian defenders clear the danger.

71’ Maldives 1-3 India

GOOOOOOAAAALLLLLL! CHHETRI! What a stunning header from the Indian captain who gives India a two-goal cushion. Maldives caught on their heels as Chhetri punishes them. Question marks on the goalkeeping again.

64’ Maldives 1-2 India

Maldives with an almost instant response as they win the free-kick in a dangerous area and Ashfaq forces a top save from Gurpreet. This game is not over yet.

62’ Maldives 1-2 India

GOOOOOOOOAAALLLLLL! SUNIL CHHETRI! Manvir Singh cushions a cross in Chhetri’s path who volleys home. There were shouts of handball but the referee has give the goal. India lead! Big goal

60’ Maldives 1-1 India

India work the ball well on the edge of the box. Suresh Singh receives the ball in space but shoots over.

58’ Maldives 1-1 India

A dangerous counter-attack from Maldives leaves them in a two-on-one situation briefly but the the final shot is blocked. No team has control over this game at the moment. Very chaotic.

48’ Maldives 1-1 India

Brandon Fernandes is forced off injured and is replaced by Udanta Singh. India have added numbers upfront for an extra player in central midfield. Ambitious move but also risky.

46’ Maldives 1-1 India

Second half begins. No changes to either teams.

HT: Maldives 1-1 India

This half has flown by. A great half for the neutrals but not so much if you are the coach of either side. Too many mistakes across the field that has made the game too open for their liking. Manvir with a fine goal to give India the lead before Ashfaq’s equaliser just before the break. Big second half to come.

45’ Maldives 1-1 India

GOOOOAAALLL! Ashfaq converts from the spot. Maldives are level

43’ Maldives 0-1 India

PENALTY TO MALDIVES! Pritam Kotal makes a foul inside the box and Maldives have a chance to come back.

40’ Maldives 0-1 India

CHANCE! A great chance for Subhasish Bose from the corner but his body wposition wasn’t right to finish. Maldives then give the ball away as Manvir Singh gets the ball in space. He tries to find a corner with a curling effort with his left foot but it goes wide. Maldives are rattled after the goal and have los their defensive organisation.

39’ Maldives 0-1 India

Good finish from Manvir Singh. Maldives have been open at the back a bitt too much and India have profited. The game has been all about sloppy play in midfield and India have cashed in on it. Huge goal for Stimac.

38’ Maldives 0-1 India

Stimac has brought on Chinglensana Singh for Mandar Rao Dessai.

33’ Maldives 0-1 India

GOOOOOOOOOOAAALLLLLL! MANVIR SINGH! Maldives lose the ball in a crucial area and India release Manvir Singh in the gap in the Maldives defence and the ATK Mohun Bagan scores with an emphatic finish. India lead

25’ Maldives 0-0 India

OFF THE CROSSBAR! India almost take the lead from a set-piece. Chhetri heads the cross onto the crossbar and Maldives survive.

24’ Maldives 0-0 India

Too much gap between India’s centre-backs and the midfield during build-up. The centre-backs are also guilty of taking far too many touches and the midfielders are doing little to escape the marker. India have also been sloppy with their passing and that has allowed Maldives to be dangerous on the counter.

17’ Maldives 0-0 India

Dangerous cross into the box from Yasir from the left flank. It almost reaches Chhetri but the Maldives centre-back is alert to the danger and concedes a corner.

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17’ Maldives 0-0 India

Dangerous cross into the box from Yasir from the left flank. It almost reaches Chhetri but the Maldives centre-back is alert to the danger and concedes a corner.

9’ Maldives 0-0 India

India give away the ball in midfield that leads to a counter-attack. Ali Ashfaq is partially blocked by Rahul Bheke who later cleared the danger. Good defending.

5’ Maldives 0-0 India

None of the teams have got a foothold in the game. But Maldives have been much more adventurous so far than Nepal and Sri Lanka, especially with a really good backing of the crown who have turned up tonight to support their team. Great atmosphere in Male.

1’ Maldives 0-0 India

KICK OFF! The home side get the match underway. Big ninety minutes ahead.

9:27 pm: Scenarios for both teams

It’s pretty straight forward for both teams. India have to WIN to reach the final. Any other result and they are out. Maldives must avoid defeat to qualify for the title clash on Sunday

9:20 pm: Updates from Bahrain: India 1-0 Chinese Taipei at HT

9:15 pm: History favours India

Maldives vs India Head-to-head

Wins Draws Losses
Maldives 4 2 14
India 14 2 4

8:55 pm: TEAM NEWS - Stimac names unchanged side

The Croatian has named an unchanged line-up for the first time in his tenure.

India XI: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Rahul Bheke, Pritam Kotal, Subhasish Bose, Mandar Rao Dessai, Lalengmawia, Brandon Fernandes, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Yasir Mohammad, Manvir Singh, Sunil Chhetri (C).

8:53 pm: Updates from Bahrain

Great start from India in Bahrain. Renu has given India an early lead against Chinese Taipei.

Hello and welcome to Live coverage of Indian men’s football team’s match against Maldives in the SAFF Championship. After two draws and a win, India face a must-win scenario against Maldives to qualify for the final against Nepal on Sunday. India have reached the final of all SAFF Championships barring one. Can Igor Stimac’s men avoid a big embarrassment and qulify for their eighth straight final? Stick around for Live updates.

We will also be providing goal updates from Indian women’s team’s match against Chinese Taipei in Bahrain.