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In the grand finale of the SAFF U-20 Championship, India, under the tutelage of Shanmugam Venkatesh, will square off against Bangladesh at the Kalinga Stadium today (August 5). After a string of matches in the round-robin league, India and Bangladesh finished as the top two teams.
The two sides crossed paths in the opening game of the tournament and Bangladesh emerged victorious. However, since then, the host nation has recovered from the initial blip and registered consecutive victories.
Head coach Venkatesh's side will come into the final following wins against Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh are undefeated in the tournament, losing just two points in a draw against Nepal. However, India will still be the favorites going into the tie given their home advantage and recent form.
Both teams will have one player each suspended, with Bangladesh missing Shahidul Isla while India will be without Parthib Gogoi.
SAFF U-20 Championship Final: Quotes from the coaches
Indian head coach Shanmugam Venkatesh, in an interaction with the AIFF media team, underlined that playing in the final is a completely different feeling. The former Indian Arrows gaffer stated:
“I myself have won three SAFF championships as a player and a captain, and also been in two SAFF Finals as the assistant coach of the senior national team. It’s been a special feeling every time. We have all been telling our boys of the same experiences, and they are all looking forward to the match.”
Given the rich vein of form the Blue Tigers have enjoyed, India will enter the final as the outright favorites. However, Venkatesh warned his players against any complacency and said:
“Bangladesh are a good side, and they have shown just as much in our first game. We did struggle a bit in our first match, but we have found our footing and the boys are more confident now."
Bangladesh head coach Paul Smalley is very confident going into the final stages of the tournament. The Englishman said that the visitors understand how to expose India's weaknesses. Smalley stated:
“We very much understand how to expose their weaknesses, as much as they would be working on exposing ours. We wish them all the best for the game."
When and where to watch India vs Bangladesh match in SAFF U-20 Championship final?
The SAFF U20 Championship final between India and Bangladesh will kick off at 7.00 pm IST at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The match will be streamed live on Sportzworkz's YouTube channel, and on Eleven Sports' platforms.
