Male (Maldives), March 28 The Indian U20 men's team finished as Group B toppers after playing out a 1-1 draw against Bangladesh in their second match of the SAFF U20 Championship 2026 at the National Stadium.
Vishal Yadav gave the Blue Colts the lead in the 17th minute, but Bangladesh responded with a goal from Md Abdul Riyad Fahim in the first half stoppage time, resulting in a draw.
This result was enough for India to remain at the top of the group, having already secured qualification for the semi-finals after their 3-0 win over Pakistan. Bangladesh finished as runners-up due to a lower goal difference.
Mahesh Gawali's team will now face Bhutan in the semi-final on Wednesday, while Bangladesh will take on Nepal in the other last-four clash at 16:15 IST.
The match began cautiously, with both sides keen to avoid early mistakes. Bangladesh attempted to stretch India's defense by using the width of the pitch, but the Indian backline remained compact and organized, limiting clear-cut chances. India gradually gained control of the game, building patiently from the back and looking to capitalize on set-pieces.
The breakthrough came in the 17th minute. Omang Dodum delivered a well-weighted corner from the right, and Vishal Yadav found space between Bangladesh defenders Sheikh Sangram and Ashikur Rahman before directing a firm header past the goalkeeper. This was Yadav's second goal of the tournament, and gave India control of the match.
India nearly doubled their lead just before halftime. Dodum whipped in a dangerous free-kick, and Jodric Abranches timed his run well to get behind the defense. However, his header went wide, allowing Bangladesh to remain in contention.
Tempers flared soon after when Nazmul Huda Faysal fouled Yaipharemba Chingakham, leading to heated reactions from both benches. The referee issued straight red cards to Bangladesh head coach Mark Cox and India goalkeeper Sandip Nandy.
Bangladesh capitalized in the extended stoppage time near the end of the first half. After eight minutes of added time were indicated, the Indian defense momentarily lost concentration. From Ronan Sullivan's corner, Md Abdul Riyad Fahim charged at the far post and scored in the 10th minute of added time to level the scores.
Despite conceding a goal late in the half, India maintained composure and continued to control the game for much of the time. The Blue Colts looked the more purposeful side and created opportunities from set-pieces.
In the 70th minute, Dodum attempted a free-kick from the edge of the area, but his effort was blocked by Md Kamal Merdha. India pushed for a winner late on, and Dodum had another chance in the 86th minute when Rishi Singh Ningthoukhongjam slipped a through ball into his path.
However, a heavy first touch from Dodum allowed the opportunity to slip away.
The match ended 1-1, with India finishing top of Group B and progressing to the semi-finals.