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India will take on Nepal in the final of the SAFF Championship 2021 on Saturday, October 16 at the Maldives National Football Stadium.
The Indian team defied all odds to make their way into the final of the SAFF Championship 2021. After a disappointing start to the campaign where the Men in Blue drew against relatively weaker sides Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, their chances of going all the way to the ultimate stage looked bleak.
However, the Blue Tigers defeated Nepal 1-0 before crushing the defending champions Maldives 3-1, courtesy of a brace from Sunil Chhetri. The victory saw them cruise to the top of the points table and ultimately into the grand finale. They will be high on confidence coming into this game and will aim to successfully clinch their eighth title.
On the other hand, Nepal finished in second spot with seven points, having won two games along the way. They definitely punched above their weight in the tournament to see themselves in the final.
Nepal started their campaign with a 1-0 win over Maldives, followed by a 3-2 victory against Sri Lanka. They then suffered a defeat at the hands of India, which brought them into a do-or-die position against Bangladesh.
Nepal were trailing 1-0 until the 88th minute but a late goal from Anjan Bista helped them secure a draw and earn a valuable point, which saw them through to the final. They will now aim to seek revenge from the Indian side and lay their hands on the silverware.
SAFF Championship 2021: India vs Nepal Predicted Line-ups
India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bheke, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Mandar Rao Desai, Glan Martins, Suresh Wangjam Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Mohammad Yasir, Manvir Singh, Sunil Chhetri
Nepal: Kiran Chemjong, Gautam Shrestha, Ananta Tamang, Rohit Chand, Suman Aryal, Suman Lama, Bishal Rai, Pujan Uparkoti, Tej Tamang, Anjan Bista, Nawayug Shrestha
SAFF Championship 2021: Where to watch India vs Nepal
Eurosport and Eurosport HD will telecast the SAFF Championship 2021 match between India and Nepal. Fans can also follow the team's website and social media accounts for match updates.
SAFF Championship 2021: India vs Nepal prediction
The grand finale of the SAFF Championship 2021 between India and Nepal is expected to be a hard-fought affair. Both sides have deservingly made their way into the final and would be at their best to clinch the title. But given the recent form of both teams, the match is expected to end in the favor of the Blue Tigers.
