India draws with Bangladesh in a heated battle to finish first in their group at the SAFF U-20 Championship


India finished top in Group B at the 2026 SAFF Under-20 Championship after drawing 1-1 against Bangladesh in their final league match at the National Football Stadium in Male on Saturday.

Vishal Yadav gave the Indian side the lead in the 17th minute with a thumping header during a corner, before Md. Abdul, also from a corner, equalized deep into stoppage time in the first half.

The match also had some heated moments, including Indian goalkeeping coach Sandip Nandy being sent off after a verbal altercation with a member of the Bangladesh coaching staff.

India will face Bhutan in the semi-finals while Nepal and Bangladesh will meet in the other last four encounters.

India had started their campaign with a 3–0 win over arch-rivals Pakistan in a match that saw Yadav score the opener before Omang Dodum bagged a brace.

Published on March 28, 2026



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