Nepal just registered their first win of the tournament against Pakistan in their last game of the SAFF Championship 2023. 18-year-old Aashish Chaudhary was the hero for the Nepal team. A tractor helper who did not know what will be his future few months ago is now the hero of his country.

Aashish used to work as a tractor helper in the Morang district in Koshi Province in eastern Nepal. He left the job to fulfil his dream of being a footballer. Although, everything was not that easy for a son whose father works as a labour in Saudi Arabia. But, just like dribbling past the defenders, Aashish Chaudhary is dribbling past all the difficulties to make the whole of Nepal proud.

Chaudhary is a proud member of the Church Boys United club in Nepal who are the Martyr's Memorial A-Division League champions as well. While playing for the club, the young player caught the attention of the Naplese coach, Vincenzo Alberto Annese.

Aashish can play as a winger, a left back and an out-and-out striker. For his all-around abilities, he was brought into the squad for the SAFF Championship and he impressed everyone with the limited opportunities he got during the tournament at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. In the 80th minute of the match against Pakistan, Aashish volleyed his first international goal for Nepal, assisted by Laken Limbu.

"I want to thank the coach for trusting me. I feel proud for scoring my debut goal for Nepal," Aashish told Sportz Point after the game, with a big smile on his face.

"Everyone back in the home will be very happy. They will celebrate my goal and Nepal's win," Aashish added.

Aashish is playing football since he started playing football at the age of 7 and now wants to make his stay permanent in the Nepal team. Vincenzo Alberto Annese, the Napelese coach is also very happy to see this young player get the glory for Nepal.

"He has got a great future ahead. He is just 18 years old and we are very happy for him. We would love him to keep doing well for Nepal," Vincenzo told the post-match press conference. Moreover, Vincenzo would love to see some of his players get exposure here in India with I-league and ISL.

Even after scoring the match-winning goal for Nepal, Aashish does not know what his future will be when he returns to Nepal. But, the only thing he knows is that he will play football.

"There will be no football for one month. There will be a break. I do not know what I will do. But, I will play in local tournaments after that," Aashish told Sportz Point.

The local tournaments are the main source of income for all the Nepalese footballers back in home. They generally get paid 5000 Nepalese Rupee for every game they play, which is good enough to help their families. So, even after scoring the biggest goal of his life, Aashish will have to play more local tournaments to dribble past the difficulties of life.

India made a stunning start to their SAFF Women’s Championship 2024 campaign, overpowering Pakistan 5-2 in their Group A opener at the Dasharath Stadium on October 17, 2024. 

The five-time champions led 4-1 at halftime, showcasing their dominance early in the tournament.

This victory also marked two key milestones for the Blue Tigresses: captain Loitongbam Ashalata Devi celebrated her 100th appearance, and striker Ngangom Bala Devi scored her 50th international goal, making her the first Indian woman footballer to achieve this feat.

India U-17 has defeated Bangladesh U-17 in the final by 2-0 to become the SAFF U-17 Championship 2024 Champions. India's Mohammed Kaif and Mohammed Arbash scored the goals for India U-17 to lead the team to be the champions for the second time in the U-17 category and the 6th title in the age category overall.

Read Also | SAFF U-17 Championship 2024 Semi-finals overview

A Speedy Start from both teams 

The game saw back-to-back attacks and counter-attacks from both teams right from the very first minute and in the first quarter of the match. India created a few chances but was denied by Bangladesh's defence. Bangladesh carried out some counter-attacks as well but those remained unfruitful and the credit mostly goes to the Indian Keeper Suraj Singh. 

An attempted header by Indian forward Lunkim in the 3rd minute went over the Bangladesh goal. In the 11th minute, Shafiq Rahman for Bangladesh pulled the trigger from a long range but the ball was too weak to beat Suraj in goal. 

Indian domination in the second quarter 

In the 28th minute, Indian defender Mohammad Kaif received the first yellow of the game. Shortly after, Levis Zangminlun took the free-kick that India received just in front of the penalty box, but the kick rolled wide from the Bangladesh goal.

Close opportunities for India 

In the 35th minute, India's Md. Arbash ran into the Bangladesh goal with a through run from the left and his strike went past Bangladesh's Keeper but could not find the net. In the 40th minute, Vishal Yadav delivered a cross in the Bangladesh box but Bangladesh keeper Nahidul Islam intercepted the ball very well, denying other Indian players from connecting. Samson attempted another shot from outside the box in the 45+2' minute but the ball was well-blocked by Bangladesh's defence. 

However, the Indian team kept pushing for the coveted opener but they could not break the deadlock in the first half. Bangladesh team displayed a strong command in their defence as well and strongly held their ground in the first half. 

Read Also | SAFF U-17 Championship 2024: Group stage overview

A strong start from India in the second half 

Indian team picked up where they left as they produced numerous attacks right from the first minute of the second half. Soram delivered a beautiful cross inside the box after recovering the ball from Bangladesh's defence in the left flank, but the intercepting header from Arbash went over the target in the 55th minute.

Kaif opened the account for India 

India's continuous push to score for almost 50 minutes paid off soon after Arbash missed his header. India finally opened the account from a header by Mohammad Kaif in the 58th minute, as Indian Captain Mate delivered a swift cross from a corner. India took the lead by 1-0! 

Neck-to-neck clash in the fifth quarter 

Bangladesh made some substitutions to reinforce their attack and the Bangladesh coach brought in Mohammad Manik who scored the brace in the semifinal against Pakistan. 

Indian Keeper Suraj showed his utmost brilliance again in the 67th minute by coming forward to deny an attempt by Bangladesh while the Bangladesh forward was running through the open goal without any Indian defender marking him. 

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Bangladesh fought back in the last quarter 

In the 80th minute, Bangladesh forward Murshed Ali delivered a cross from a set-piece but Suraj showed his goalkeeping skills again as he collected the ball confidently. In the 90+3 minute, Bangladesh had another good chance but they could not convert it. Bangladesh kept pressing hard for a goal, but the Indian defence did not give any chance to put it in. Both the Indian defence and Keeper Suraj kept their cool to lead the Indian team to seal the victory.

The sealing strike 

The Indian team sealed their victory in the 4th minute into injury time as Indian midfielder Arbash pulled off a boastful left-footed strike and registered a well-deserved goal by his name. His goal confirmed the India U-17 team's victory by 2-0. 

India U-17 becomes the SAFF U-17 Champions for the second consecutive time after 2022 and this is their 6th title in the age category.

India U-17 has crossed the semi-final hurdle to reach the SAFF U-17 Championship 2024 Final, beating Nepal U-17 by 4-2 in a high-pressure game on 30th September 2024 at the Changlimithang Stadium in Bhutan.

Later on the same day, Bangladesh U-17 defeated Pakistan U-17 in sudden death in another action-packed semi-final to enter the SAFF U-17 Championship 2024 Final to set the final fixture set to be played on 28th September 2024 at the Changlimithang Stadium in Bhutan.

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India U-17 came out victorious beating Nepal U-17 by 4-2 

After a goalless first half between the two teams, Vishal Yadav for India broke the deadlock in the 61st minute of the game. Vishal scored a brace with a second goal coming in the 68th minute. Subash Bam reduced the margin for Nepal as he scored in the 85th minute and created pressure on the Indian lads. However, Khongjam Rishi Singh diluted that pressure with his goal in the 85th minute.

India's pressure resurged again after Mohammed Kaif's clearance to deny a corner was deflected into his own goal and Nepal got their second goal. But the Indian boys showed massive character to keep it cool and scored the fourth one to ensure India's qualification into the final. 

Bangladesh U-17 made a thrilling comeback to beat Pakistan U-17 by 8-7 on sudden death

Shahab Ahmed scored the first goal to give Pakistan the lead in the 32nd minute. Abdul Rehman extended Pakistan's lead by 2-0 with a spot-kick in the 62nd minute. Pakistan had a 2-0 lead but Md. Manik scored in the 74th minute to reduce the margin for Bangladesh. The coveted equalizer for Bangladesh came in the 4th minute of the injury time as Manik scored again to stop Bangladesh from being disqualified. 

Both teams headed into the penalties with strong control over themselves. It reflected in the pitch when both teams scored 5 out of 5 penalties in the regular shootout to keep it level on 5-5. The shootout forced into sudden death and after two penalties each, the scoreline was again level on 7-7. However, Pakistan missed their last penalty and Bangladesh had the advantage to score theirs, and they did so to historically win the game by 8-7 on penalties. 

Read Also | SAFF U-17 Championship 2024: Group stage overview

Past Winners of SAFF U-17 Championship

Top Goalscorers of the 2024 edition

India U-17 will meet Bangladesh U-17 for the second time in this tournament as they already met in the inaugural match, but now in the SAFF U-17 Championship 2024 final that is scheduled to take place at the Changlimithang Stadium in Bhutan on September 30, 2024.

Match Details 

Final | India U-17 vs Bangladesh U-17 

Date | 30th September, 2024

Time | 5;30 PM IST

Venue | Changlimithang Stadium, Thimpu, Bhutan

Streaming Details

Indian football fans can watch the game live on Sportzworkz YouTube channel. 

The semi-finalists for the SAFF U-17 Championship 2024 have been confirmed after the conclusion of the group stage matches.

The Pakistan U-17 team secured their spot in the semi-finals by defeating Sri Lanka U-17 with a score of 5-1, finishing on top of Group B. They will face Bangladesh U-17, who qualified as the runners-up of Group A.

Nepal U-17 has qualified for the semis as well after defeating Bhutan U-17 in a do-or-die match by 2-1 in the final group stage game. They have proceeded in the semis as Group B runners-up and are set to challenge Group A winners India U-17 in the semi-final. 

Both semi-finals are scheduled to take place at the Changlimithang Stadium in Bhutan on September 28, 2024.

Scenario of Group A in the Group Stage 

Group A included three teams: India U-17, Bangladesh U-17, and Maldives U-17.

India U-17 and Bangladesh U-17 faced each other in the inaugural game of the SAFF U-17 Championship 2024 on 20th September 2024. Indian youngsters defeated Bangladesh by 1-0 and earned their first three points in the tournament. Bangladesh U-17 managed a 1-1 draw against Maldives U-17 in the second group game and India U-17 thrashed Maldives U-17 by 3-0 in the last group match. 

India U-17 qualified as Group A winners whereas Bangladesh U-17 earned their second-place qualification based on goal difference. 

Final Standings of Group A

Group B positions in the Group Stage 

Group B consisted of four teams: Pakistan U-17, Nepal U-17, Sri Lanka U-17, and the hosts of the tournament, Bhutan U-17.

Pakistan U-17 defeated Nepal U-17 by 1-0 in the opening match of Group B and Bhutan U-17 completely outplayed Sri Lanka U-17 by 5-1. In the second round, Nepal U-17 eased past Sri Lanka U-17 by 4-0 whereas Bhutan U-17 made a heroic comeback to steal a draw against Pakistan by 3-3 after scoring 2 goals in the last ten minutes of the game. 

Pakistan U-17 has bounced back stronger after beating Sri Lanka U-17 by 5-1 yesterday to confirm themselves as the group winners. In the last match of the overall group stage Nepal U-17 pulled off another comeback to win by 2-1 yesterday as well after the hosts Bhutan U-17 led at half-time by 1-0. Nepal U-17 earned their qualification to semis as the runners-up of Group B.                                           

Final Standings of Group B

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Semi-finals 

Both semi-finals are scheduled to take place at the Changlimithang Stadium in Bhutan on September 28, 2024. 

Semi-final 1 |  India U-17 (Group A winners) vs Nepal U-17 (Group B Runners-up)

Semi-final 2 |  Pakistan U-17 (Group B winners) vs Bangladesh U-17 (Group A Runners-up)

The winners of the semi-finals will face off for the ultimate showdown in the Final on 30th September 2024 at the Changlimithang Stadium in Bhutan. 

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Indian Football Legend Sunil Chhetri announced that he will retire from International Football after the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2026 match against Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6. He has scored the most goals in his career after Ronaldo and Messi. Till now he has scored 94 goals and played 150 matches for the country. The long-serving national team captain announced his decision via a video he posted on his social media accounts. So, it's time we look at Sunil Chhetri's special moments in his career.

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Special Moments in Sunil Chhetri's International Career

2005 - Senior India debut

Chhetri made his senior India debut against Pakistan on 12 June 2005 in Quetta and scored his maiden goal. Chhetri was a surprise inclusion for technical director Sukhwinder Singh on his maiden trip with the senior team. Chhetri proved his worth and selection with a goal. However, Pakistan scored and drew the game.

2007 Nehru Cup Triumph

Sunil Chhetri lifted his maiden International title by winning the 2007 Nehru Cup with India. India faced Syria in the Final and won the game by a narrow 1-0 margin. Syria were the favourites but the Blue Tigers were seeking revenge for their early 2-3 loss in the group stage. Chhetri scored in that game, playing alongside Bhaichung Bhutia but lost it. However, it was a huge achievement for India as it was their first Nehru Cup title.

2008 - Hattrick against Tajikistan in the AFC Challenge Cup Final

Chhetri and Bhutia helped India demolish Tajikistan in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup Final. Chhetri completed his hat trick in the 75th minute and took India back to the Asian Cup for the first time since 1984. It was a special moment for the Indian players and fans. For Chhetri, it surely is one of the biggest achievements of his career, scoring a hat trick in the Final of the Challenge Cup.

2011 SAFF Championship Victory

Chhetri contributed to India’s victorious 2011 SAFF Championship campaign with his seven goals. It was the 9th tournament of the SAFF Championship, which was held in New Delhi, India. The Blue Tigers dominated the campaign completely and ended up winning their sixth SAFF Championship title. Sunil Chhetri was awarded the Player of the Tournament Award as he was the top scorer in the competition.

2012 Nehru Cup Triumph

Chhetri topped the goal-scorers chart with four goals to his name, helping India win the 2012 Nehru Cup. India were the two-time defending champions of the Nehru Cup before coming into this campaign. The Blue Tigers faced Cameroon in the Final. They weren't at full strength as only five of their starters from the final would go on to make more regular places in the full side, but they were good. India were trailing 2-1 on 54 minutes, but Chhetri brought India back in the game by scoring a late equalizer. Ultimately, India won the match and title in a shootout (5-4).

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2017 - 13-match unbeaten run & Qualification for the Asian Cup

The Indian national team registered a record 13-match unbeaten run and qualified for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, the biggest continental tournament, by topping their play-off round group with two games to spare under the leadership of Sunil Chhetri. India registered four victories in as many games at the Asian Cup qualifiers to book their ticket to the UAE. Captain Chhetri top-scored for the team with four goals in five games. It was India's fourth Asian Cup participation, after 1964, 1984, and 2011.

2018 - Hattrick against Chinese Taipei in the Intercontinental Cup and 100th appearance

In the 2018 Intercontinental Cup, Chhetri was the best player of the tournament as the Indian forward scored eight goals. This includes a brilliant hat trick against Chinese Taipei in the first game of the tournament. Chhetri scored twice in the first half and then added another one in the second to complete the hat trick as India beat Chinese Taipei by a 5-0 scoreline.

Chhetri made his 100th appearance for the Blue Tigers in the next match against Kenya and helped his side earn a 3-0 comfortable victory. He opened the scoring with a second-half penalty and then set Jeje up for the second. He scored the brace in the additional minutes to complete the demolition of Kenya.

2019 - Brace against Thailand in the Asian Cup

India's campaign at the 2019 Asian Cup couldn't have gotten off to a better start. Chhetri started it all with a quickly taken throw, from which Ashique Kuruniyan earned a penalty, which Chhetri converted. Though Thailand would equalize before halftime, the second half belonged to an energetic India. Chhetri characterized that energy, scoring one of three peerless Indian goals in 45 minutes that made the world sit up and take notice.

2021 - Becomes joint 6th highest scorer of all time

On 13 October 2021, he scored twice again in a 3–1 win over Maldives in the 2021 SAFF Championship, making him the joint-sixth all-time international goal scorer at that time, and the third-highest active international goal scorer in football, behind only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

2022 - Qualification for the Asian Cup

Since the AFC Asian Cup was founded in 1956, India has qualified for five Asian Cups, in 1964, 1984, 2011, 2019, and 2023. The Blue Tigers qualified for the AFC Asian Cup 2023 even before the opening whistle of their final third-round qualifier match against Hong Kong. The third round was their final chance to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2023. 

It saw 24 teams fight for the 11 remaining spots. The sides were divided into six groups of four teams each with the eventual six group winners and five best runner-ups qualifying for next year’s Asian Cup. Drawn in Group D, India beat Cambodia 2-0 in the opening match and earned a hard-fought 2-1 over Afghanistan in their second outing. 

Ahead of their final game against group toppers Hong Kong, Chhetri, and Co. were placed 2nd in Group D. Hong Kong were above India based on goal difference. India were already assured at least a second-place finish in Group D even before the Hong Kong match began. However, Palestine beat the Philippines 4-0 in Group B, which set the second-placed team to finish with just four points. India already had six so they qualified irrespective of their result against Hong Kong. 

2023 - Becomes second highest Asian goal scorer of all time

Captain Sunil Chhetri scored a hat-trick in India's thumping 4-0 win over Pakistan in their opening Group A match of the SAFF Championship in Bengaluru. In the process, Chhetri became the second-highest goal-scorer in Asia and fourth-highest in International Football. Chhetri's three goals took his tally to a total of 90 goals from 138 matches just behind former Iran footballer Ali Daei who has 109 goals in 148 matches.

The Indian captain surpassed Mokhtar Dahari of Malaysia (with 89 goals) to climb to the fourth spot among the highest goal-scorers in international football. Argentina legend Lionel Messi (103 goals), Iran's retired player Ali Daei (109 goals), and legendary Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo (123) are only ahead of Chhetri in the goal-scoring list.

2024 - 150th appearance for India

Chhetri made his 150th appearance for India and scored on the occasion against Afghanistan in Guwahati. However, the Blue Tigers lost that game 1-2. Chhetri extended his goal tally to 94 goals in international football by drawing first blood for the hosts. With the goal, Chhetri also extended his unique record of scoring for India in his first, 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th, 125th, and 150th games. He is currently the third-highest active goalscorer in the International Football.