India vs Maldives: SAFF Cup semifinal - As it happened...

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— SAFF Suzuki Cup (@SAFFSuzukiCup) December 31, 2015

90+4' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: Lallianzuala Chhangte wasted a chance and India are through to the final.

India will play the winner of Afghanistan and Sri Lanka match.

90+2' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: And Maldives won their free-kick in an dangerous spot. But nothing came off it.

90' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: In the dying minutes, Jeje Lalpekhlua won a free-kick just outside the Maldives box. Eugeneson Lyngdoh's delivery however failed to create any chance. And 4 MINUTES added.

88' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: How close was that. Maldives produced a brilliant run inside the Indian box, but an offside call and well judged tackle ended the bid.

86' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: Another good chance wasted for India with Maldives putting enough man behind to block the ball.

85' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: It's Jeje everywhere, after contributing in the defence, he produced a curling effort. Good chance.

Meanwhile, Maldives have exhausted their subs. And for India, Sanju Pradhan on for Holicharan Narzary.

83' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: Then, Indian attackers are summoned to put their might in defence. Jeje Lalpekhlua headed the danger away from a Maldives corner.

82' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: Lallianzuala Chhangte missed a chance to score as Maldives goalie reached in time to block his attempt.

80' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: Eugeneson Lyngdoh once again proved his utility with a flying run and delivering for Holicharan Narzary. But Narzary failed to control his header at it went off target.

77' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 75') 3 - 2 (Nashid 45+2', Ali 75') Maldives: What a finish from Amdaan Ali. For his first international goal, Ali jumped high and connected his header to put pass the hapless Indian goalie.

73' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 65') 3 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: A little period of rebuilding for Maldives even as Indians continue to press hard, trying to every second ball.

Substitution for India. And here comes young Lallianzuala Chhangte, on for Sunil Chhetri.

Substitution for Maldives. Assadhulla Abdulla replaced by Naiz Hassan.

70' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 65') 3 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: India are playing possibly their best game  in the tournaments. The little one-twos inside the Maldives half have been creating enough chances.

66' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33', 65') 3 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: Anxious moments for the Indian camp with skipper Sunil Chhetri struggling to stand after a rough tackle.

Then, moments later, Jeje Lalpekhlua found his second GOAL from a close run. Good run from skipper Sunil Chhetri too, who cut inside the box from the left and left Jeje at a vantage position.

63' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: In the last five minutes, Indians have increased the tempo and have dictated the terms.

And Jeje once again found himself in the thick of action. His flying header from a Bikash Jairu cross just missed the target.

60' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: Arnab Mondal's delivery from a corner was cleared by Amdaan Ali. Then from the re-start, Jeje Lalpekhlua almost scored for the second time. But his effort just missed the bar.

59' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua tried a one-two with the Mizoram player producing a chip. But his effort came a bit little quicker than what the skipper had expected. Wasted chance.

56' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: On the counter, Indians are forced to gather in their defence. Good chance nonetheless for Maldives, which ended with India scampering to a good defence.

47' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: A teasing long ranger almost put Maldives goalie into a spot of bother, more so with the sunlight directly blazing at his eyes. But Mohamed Imran done just did enough to produce a save.

53' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: Indian continue to make inroads in the Maldives half, but most of the moves have been, so far, thwarted by an alert defence.

50' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: Holicharan Narzary, so far devoid of making any goal-bound attempt, finally took the reigns and sent in a long ranger. His left footed attempt, however, failed to hit the target. Brave move from the young Kokrajhar boy.

49' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: Eugeneson Lyngdoh failed to hit the target  from a set-piece, and moments later Maldives got their own chance. A similar treatment and result, though.

47' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: Sunil Chhetri played a brilliant one-two with Rowlin Borges. The Indian move, however, failed to capitalize with the Indian skipper missing his mark.

46 India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 (Nashid 45+2') Maldives: The second half action started with Jeje Lalpekhlua playing a wrestling match with two Maldives players.

HT: @AiffMedia 2-1 @MaldivesFA Hosts in front with Maldives threatening to come back! GAME ON! #SAFFSuzukiCup pic.twitter.com/1WV2LX8Jxp

— SAFF Suzuki Cup (@SAFFSuzukiCup) December 31, 2015

45+3' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 1 Nashid 45+2') Maldives: GOAL for Maldives. A superb effort from Ahmed Nashid, from a Ali Ashfaq play, to drill through the Indian defence and pull one back.

45' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 0 Maldives: What a proceeding. Maldives goalie abandoned his post and was chasing the ball at an Indian players' feet like wild hogs. But luckily for the Maldives, India failed to take advantage of the situation.

42' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 0 Maldives: Bikash Jairu, after a free-run on the right flank, tried to link-up with Jeje Lalpekhlua, but the ball never reached it's intended target. Then, a series corners for India. Maldives goalie Mohamed Imran was forced produced some stunning blocks to deny the Indian a third goal.

39' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 0 Maldives: Possession wise, it's still 50-50 but Indians have took the chances that came their way, while Maldives's efforts have been fleeting.

38' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 0 Maldives: After an Indian attack soon after the Jeje goal, Maldives got themselves in a promising position earning a free-kick just outside the box. Ali Ashfaq's left footed attempt just missed the target. Flew over the bar.

34' India (Chhetri 24' Lalpekhlua 33' ) 2 - 0 Maldives: GOAL!!! Jeje Lalpekhlua doubled the lead with a calm finish after a Holicharan Narzary release.

30' India (Chhetri 24') 1 - 0 Maldives: India lost a golden chance to double to lead with a desperate defending from Maldives keeping the ball out of play.

27' India (Chhetri 24') 1 - 0 Maldives: Then, in a matter of minutes, Narayan Das produced a brilliant free-kick, which just missed the target.

25' India (Chhetri 24') 1 - 0 Maldives: Holicharan Narzary is so far the best of Indian players today. And he built up yet another chance.

And GOAL for India, for record breaking Sunil Chhetri, who left high to head from a Holicharan Narzary delivery from the right flank.

22' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Augustine Fernandes. Mighty mess-up from the Indian defender. had it not for an alert goal-keeper in Gurpreet, it was a sure goal for Maldives. Moments later, from an counter attack, India won their second corner and Maldives goalie was forced to produced a save.

20' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Holicharan Narzary and Jeje Lalpekhlua combined well to launch an Indian attack. But it proved yet another feeble effort, with the ball going out of play.

18' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Augustine Fernandes had a timely sliding tackle to cut short a promising looking Maldives attack inside the Indian half.

17' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Maldives won yet another free-kick in a dangerous area. Ahmed Imaaz's delivery, however, sailed over the byline even as Gurpreet judged the flight right.

16' India 0 - 0 Maldives: From a Maldives goal-kick, the Snippers won a series of throw ins inside the Indian half, and gained some ground.

14' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Pritam Kotal had a nervy moment, losing the ball to an attacking Maldives player.  But Gurpreet did enough to thwart the attack, to a throw-in.

11' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Disallowed GOAL!! India won the first corner of the match. And from the set-piece, India scored from an scrambled effort. But the linesman ruled it out as an offside. Unlucky Arnab Mondal!

11' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Bikash Jairu had a promising run on the left flank, and released it for Chhetri, but the Indian skipper failed to control inside the Maldives box. Wasted chance.

10' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Sunil Chhetri tried a long ranger, but his attempt was undone by a faulty angle to his kick.

9' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Probably the best move of the match so far with the dangerous Ashfaq creating the chance for Assadhulla Abdulla. But it went a begging for Maldives.

7' India 0 - 0 Maldives: On the counter, India did well to test Maldives defenders. But once again, it proved an half-hearted attempt from the Indians.

5' India 0 - 0 Maldives: Eugeneson Lyngdoh conceded a foul and Maldives almost scored from the set-piece.

3' India 0 - 0 Maldives: India won a throw in the left flank, then pressed hard with skipper Sunil Chhetri in the centre.

1' India 0 - 0 Maldives: India started the proceedings.

India are in their traditional blues, while Maldives in all-reds.

Maldives XI: Ahmad, Imaaz Ahmed, Ashfaq, S.Mohamed, A.Asadhulla, A.Ashadh, Fasir, Nashid, Amdhan, Ahmed Shafiu, Imran. Indian defenders will need to contain Ali Ashfap, dangerous on the run and have always an eye for the goal.

Glimpses from the warm-ups

Training pics from inside the Greenfield Stadium, #Trivandrum #SAFFSuzukiCup @AiffMedia @MaldivesFA pic.twitter.com/NbPIRYJRZE

— SAFF Suzuki Cup (@SAFFSuzukiCup) December 31, 2015

A sizeable number of Maldives supporters are in Thiruvananthapuram. And it's the national anthem round.

Moments away from the first semi-final. Players and match officials already in the field.

Lallianzuala Chhangte not in the starting XI, as Gurpreet returns. Chhangte's senior partner from Mizoram Jeje Lalpekhlua will instead lead India's attack.

India's starting XI: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Pritam Kotal, Arnab Mondal, Augustine Fernandes, Narayan Das; Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Rowlin Borges, Bikash Jairu, Holicharan Narzary, Sunil Chhetri (C), Jeje Lalpekhlua

Here's the team-sheet

That's how the two Teams start. #IndianFootball #BacktheBlue #SAFFSuzukiCup #INDvMDV pic.twitter.com/Si1wqFCytk

— Indian Football Team (@AiffMedia) December 31, 2015

PREVIEW

Welcome to our coverage of SAFF Cup 2015 first semifinal between host India and Maldives being played at at the Trivandrum International Stadium.

Having won both their Group A matches, India will start as the favourites against Maldives. But being the knock-out match, it will be a tough match for Stephen Constantine's men.

But the talk of the town is India's newest football star Lallianzuala Chhangte. In the absence of Robin Singh. The 18-year-old Mizoram boy stole the show in India's last match against Nepal, scoring a brace, in the absence of Robin Singh.

And with skipper Sunil Chhetri in a good form too, The Blue Tigers will be confident to notch up yet another win and make the final.

Head to head, India have won 10 times in 14 encounters, including six times in the the knockout stage of the SAFF Cup. But the Maldives always played tough games.

And under Rickie Herbet, the Red Snappers have preformed well to beat Bhutan and Bangladesh by similar scorelines, 3-1; though they have suffered defeat against defending champions Afghanistan in their group outings.