Maldives Face Must-Win Clash Against India in SAFF Championship

The Maldives will face India today in their final group stage match of the SAFF Championship, the biggest regional football tournament currently being held in Bangladesh. The Maldives lost their first match of the tournament to Pakistan 3-0. India won their first match against Pakistan 3-2. In this group of three teams, Pakistan has secured a place in the semi-finals, while India can reach the semi-finals by beating the Maldives, by a draw, or even by losing. The Maldives has the narrowest chance of a semi-final place. The only way the Maldives can secure a semi-final place is by beating India by a three-goal margin. Looking at the situation of the India team competing in the tournament, this is not a difficult task. Nor is it something that cannot happen for the Maldives. India also entered this year's tournament with a young squad. Accordingly, the team's squad includes 11 players under the age of 23. An additional challenge the team faced during the tournament was that many players from the squad assembled by India were included in the senior squad, and the clubs decided to recall the players. The clubs decided to recall those players because this year's tournament is being held before the FIFA break. India registered a squad of 28 players for the SAFF, while there is a high chance that 12 of them will not be seen in the Maldives match. The only chance the Maldives has to advance in the tournament rests on that match, and the match against India will begin today at 14:30 in the afternoon. PSM will broadcast this match live.