India vs Bangladesh, SAFF Championship 2021 Highlights: 10-man Bangladesh Hold India to 1-1 Draw

FULL TIME! India held by 10-man Bangladesh to a 1-1 draw in their SAFF Championship 2021 opener. Yeasin Arafat scored a diving header in the 74th minute to bring Bangladesh on level terms after Sunil Chhetri had scored in the first half. Bangladesh showed more grit, more perseverance and fight to get a point from the game.

Bangladesh had won their opener against Sri Lanka and now have four points from two games. India have a point from one match after the draw.

85′ – Brandon to Chhetri to Manvir and the latter’s shot is blocked. India show a little more urgency to take the lead again but well defended by Bangladesh.

80′ – Bangladesh were constantly pressing India and were winning the duels in the midfield. They were pushing India and looked dangerous every time they went up the pitch in the Indian half. They got rewarded for their perseverance and this does not look good on India.

74′ – GOAL from Bangladesh and the crowd is going berserk! 10-man Bangladesh have drawn level with India at 1-1. First national team goal for Yeasin Arafat and what an important moment to get it.

Captain Jamal Bhuyan with a fantastic corner kick and Arafat with a diving header scores for Bangladesh. The dormant crowd has been giving a reason to scream, sing and play again.

68′ – Bangladesh are doing a number of moves right to put India under pressure but they are clinical and sharp enough. Despite being a man down, Bangladesh are taking the game to India very well.

63′ – Substitution for India! Rahim Ali comes on for the goal assist-maker Udanta Singh.

61′ – A wonderful double save from the Bangladesh keeper Anisur Rahman. He denies Manvir Singh and Udanta to keep his team in the game. Manvir was a powerful shot that he saved and Udanta’s shot from the right was parried away by him.

59′ – Substitution for India! Liston Colaco makes way for Apuia and that means a change in formation.

58′ – Bangladesh with another excellent move as the Indian defence is left wide open again. India are lucky to get away from there without a penalty being given against them. The Bangladesh fans were roaring and getting behind their men.

54′ – RED CARD! Bangladesh’s Bishwanath Ghosh is sent off! Liston Colaco was through on goal and Bishwanath being the last defender brought Liston down and the referee had to show him a straight red. Bangladesh are now a man and a goal down. Uphill task for them from here.

52′ – CHANCE! What a fantastic move from Bangladesh but Rakib went just a little bit earlier and his attempt at the awkward volley went wide. Fantastic play on the right flank as Saad Uddin is played up. Saad cut back the ball for Rakib, who couldn’t finish the move.

Second Half Kick-off! The second 45 minutes of the match begin and India are leading 1-0, courtesy a goal from none other than Sunil Chhetri.

HALF TIME! That’s it from the first 45 minutes. Sunil Chhetri’s 27th minute strike is the difference-maker in the match so far. Bangladesh have had a couple of good chances but their inability to finish has cost them. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu denied Rakib in the 39th minute to keep India’s lead intact. India have not been utterly dominating but they were more clinical and converted the one big chance they had.

More to come in the next 45 minutes…

45′ – Sunil Chhetri gets the ball and he plays Udanta on his right and makes the run through the centre. Udanta’s cutback is intercepted by Jamal Bhuyan to thwart the attack.

39′ – SAVE! Gurpreet Singh Sandhu comes up with a fantastic save to deny Bangladesh. The Bengal Tigers with a fantastic counter-attacking move from India’s corner and the Indian backline was left exposed. Saad broke free and played Rakib on the left, who shot was parried away by Gurpreet.

38′ – Sunil Chhetri with a left foot effort from outside the box and the Bangladesh goalkeeper pulls off a fantastic save to deny him. It would have been some strike!

35′ – Anirudh Thapa plays Liston Colaco on the left flank. Liston cuts inside and makes the run into the box and goes for a shot himself but it’s straight to the keeper.

30′ – Bangladesh had a chance to equalise right after Chhetri’s goal! Their captain Jamal Bhuyan whips in a dangerous free kick but it goes just across the face of the goal.

27′ – Who else but Sunil Chhetri! Udanta Singh with a good run on the right and he finds the captain in the middle. Chhetri makes no mistakes and finds the back of the net in one touch. India have the lead even though Bangladesh were more threatening.

25′ – Topu does well to fool Udanta with his turnaround. Udanta was wrong-footed and turns around to get the ball but ends up wrongfully tackling Topu. Bangladesh have another free kick but they are unable to make the best out of it.