The SAFF U20 Championship semi-final between India’s U20 men’s national team and Bangladesh finished in a 1-1 draw after regulation play on Monday at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur, Nepal. India lost 3-4 on penalties. The unexpected victory over India has taken Indian football fans by surprise. On social media, a lot of fans expressed their unhappiness and dissatisfaction. A picture of an upset Indian fan has gone viral, encapsulating the country’s sadness as a whole.
Bangladesh, who had a 1-0 lead at halftime, will play host Nepal in the championship match on August 28, Wednesday. Mohammed Asif, Bangladesh’s stand-in goalie, made two vital penalty saves that eliminated India, the reigning champions, from the competition.
Although the defenses of both teams were admirably coordinated, Asif’s skill under the crossbar in the penalty shootout proved to be the difference between them. In the 36th minute, Asadul Islam Sakib gave Bangladesh the lead. Ricky Meetei Haobam, the captain of India, tied the score in the 74th minute.
India got off to a poor start in the tiebreaker as Asif parried Gangte’s shot, giving Bangladesh the upper hand. The following three tries to score from the net were made by Pramveer, Goyary, and Manjot Singh Dhami; however, the Bangladeshi keeper again saved his team’s bacon by denying Akash Tirkey’s final attempt. Ashraful Haque, Shakil Ahad Topu, Moinul Islam Moin, and Mohammed Pias Ahmed Nova played flawlessly in their four attempts to take Bangladesh to the final.
The defeat was difficult for the Indian squad and its ardent supporters to accept because a motivated and well-prepared Bangladeshi team crushed dreams of an easy victory.? The crowd’s unfiltered emotions were captured by cameras. Among the numerous dejected expressions, one image caught our attention: a lone Indian supporter, head in hand, overcome by the heartbreaking loss.
The photograph quickly made its rounds on social media, becoming a poignant symbol of the fans’ anguish and the unexpected nature of the loss. The recent loss has led to discussions about the overall state of football in India. Some are questioning the team’s readiness and mindset in important matches, seeing the defeat to Bangladesh as a wake-up call.
The federation should pay attention to this concern of why Indian football team lose matches, wrote one football fan Tanuj on social media. We are taking steps backward if these kinds of losses continue to happen, said Debosmit Roy.
