Bangladesh to take on Pakistan in SAFF U-17 Semifinals Saturday

Bangladesh will play Pakistan and India will face Nepal in two semifinals of the seven-nation South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-17 Championship on Saturday (Sept 28).

Group A champions India will play Group B runners up Nepal in the first semifinal at 2pm while Group B champions Pakistan will encounter Group A runners up Bangladesh at 6pm, both at the Changlimithang Stadium in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu on Saturday.

The final match will be held on Monday (September 30) at 6pm at the same venue.

In the Group B matches on Wednesday, Pakistan emerged group champions with unbeaten run securing seven points outplaying Sri Lanka by 5-1 goals while Nepal finished group runners-up with six points, beating hosts Bhutan by 2-1 goals.

Earlier on Tuesday, defending champions India crushed the Maldives by 3-0 goals to reach the semifinal with an all-win record securing a full six points and also carried Bangladesh to the semifinal at the cost of the Maldives.

Bangladesh managed a semifinal berth as Group A runners up securing only one point from both the group matches playing 1-1 draw with Islanders Maldives after conceding 0-1 goal defeat against India in the injury time.

The Maldives eliminated from the meet due to poor goal differences despite collecting one point from two matches like Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh football team had their practices at the Bhutan Football Academy ground from 4 pm to 5:30 pm on Wednesday.