India 2-2 Bangladesh Highlights, SAFF U17 Championship 2025 Final: Blue Colts Seal 4-1 Penalty Win For Seventh Title

Hello and welcome to the start of our live coverage of SAFF U17 Championship 2025 final at the Racecourse International Stadium in Colombo where the Blue Colts of India take on the unbeaten Young Tigers of Bangladesh in a mouth watering clash.

Stay tuned for all live updates.

Manashjyoti Baruah (gk), Denny Singh Wangkhem (c), Indra Rana Magar, Shubham Poonia, Thonggoumang Touthang, Rahan Ahmed, Dallalmuon Gangte, Lawmsangzuala, Azlaan Shah Kh, Md Aimaan Bin, Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam

Md Alif Rahman Imtiage (gk), Nazmul Huda Faysal (c), Md Sabbir Islam, Ihsan Habib Riduan, Md Azam Khan, Md Ikramul Islam, Md Kamal Merdha, Md Opu Rahman, Md Arif, Md Manik, Md Rifat Kazi

India U17: Maldino Singh Yumnam, Korou Meitei Konthoujam, Kamgouhao Doungel, Nitishkumar Meitei Yengkhom, Diamond Singh Thokchom, Lesvin Rebelo, Aazim Parvez Najar, Abrar Ali Baba, Hrishikesh Charan Manavathi, Rajrup Sarkar, Maroof Shafi

Bangladesh U17: Md Ruhul Amin Akash, Md Mohin Ahmmed, Md Tasin Saheb, Akash Ahmed, Tarek Hossen, Ashik, Bayzit Bostami, Md Akash Ahammed, Shadat Hossain, Md Raj, Mahin Miah Sojib, Chandro Saha

Fans in India can watch the SAFF U17 Championship 2025 final between India and Bangladesh live for free on the Sportzworkz YouTube channel. You can also follow the India vs Bangladesh live scores on Outlook India.

India:

• 🟢 6-0 vs Maldives

• 🟢1-0 vs Bhutan

• 🟢 3-2 vs Pakistan

• 🟢 3-0 vs Nepal

Bangladesh:

• 🟢 4-0 vs Nepal

• 🟢 4-0 vs Sri Lanka

• 🟢 2-0 vs Pakistan

The pre-match formalities are done. The players shake hands and take their positions on the pitch. Finally, referee Tshewang Pema blows his whistle, and defending champions India get the final match underway. Stay tuned!

The intent from Bangladesh is clear - press the Indian backline and get an early goal. A long throw from the edge of the box falls to Md Arif, who has a shot from some distance out. It's straight at Baruah, who holds on to it. The first shot on goal goes to last year's runners-ups.

Gangte simply cannot stop scoring in this tournament. A free-kick near the half-way line is played to Gunleiba. The winger floats in a ball into the box from the left flank. It falls to Gangte after a lucky deflection off the defender, and he pokes it towards the far corner, giving Imtiage no chance at all. India take a very early lead.

The Bangladeshi defence, which had not conceded any goals in the tournament before Gangte's strike, is looking really shaky at the moment. Gangte almost played Ahmed through in the box, but the ball is somehow cleared.

With India piling up the pressure on the other end, Bangladesh get an opportunity through a corner kick, but it's easily cleared by the Indian defence. The attackers complain of a handball, but the referee is unmoved.

The first yellow card of the evening goes to India's Azlaan Shah. He tried to get at the end of a long ball from the midfield, but clashed with Azam Khan. The referee immediately blows his whistle and books the attacker.

What a calamity at the back for India! A corner is floated into the box, and it's headed back towards the left post. Md Manik outjumps his marker and heads it goalwards, and it creeps past the line before Sabbir ensured it went in. Nevertheless, the goal belongs to the Bangladeshi number nine, and the match is level!

The goal has given Bangladesh momentum. Another terrific delivery into the box from the right side of midfield, and it finds Manik near the left post, and Manik's shot is blocked for a corner.

The resulting corner is a dangerous one, and it was headed goalwards by Opu. Baruah was beaten, but it crashed against the post and was somehow cleared by the defence.

India look to regain some control in the match. They move forward down the right flank, and Azlaan lobs a ball into the box. Bangladesh can't clear it, and Gangte has a bicycle kick that crashes against the roof of the net. Better from India.

Another close respite for India. Arif is given a lot of space near the middle of the park, and he has a snap shot from 30 yards out. However, the spin on the ball surprises Baruah, and he palms it behind for a corner. The resulting ball into the box evades everyone on the far post.

Gunleiba has been stunning from India down the flanks, and he delivers another peach of a delivery. Ahmed can't get his head at the end of it, but it falls to Azlaan on the right. He cuts on his left foot and has a shot, and it goes into the back off the net off the body of a Bangladeshi defender. India regain their lead.

Two good chances for Bangladesh. Opu Rahman found himself in the box, and then laid it off to a teammate who shoots goalwards. A last-ditch tackle from two defenders deflects it behind for a corner. The resulting ball is again floated towards the far corner. Baruah came flying in and missed - not for the first time today - but Ikramul's header is over the bar.

Bangladesh get their first yellow card of the day as Ikramul clatters into the back of Ahmed, and the Indian attacker goes down in pain. The referee books the defender, despite his protests.

The fourth official holds up his board - two minutes of added time to be played.

The referee blows his whistle for half-time, and India go into the break just ahead. However, in this attacking 45 minutes, the better chances have fallen to Bangladesh, and any other day, the Young Tigers would have been ahead. For now, Bibiano Fernandes will go back to the drawing board to shore up his shaky defence if India want to hold on to their title.

Both sets of players are out on the pitch, and Bangladesh get the second half rolling. No half-time changes as far as I can see. A big, big 45 minutes ahead for India to hold on, and maybe add, to their slender lead.

Relentless pressure on the Indian goal, and they somehow survive. A terrific ball is floated into the box, and it goes behind - despite shouts for handball from Bangladesh. In the second try, the ball bounces to Ikramul, who cannot connect properly with his close range effort, and India somehow clear.

Unlucky!! A good free-kick is floated into the Indian box, and the headed clearance falls to skipper Nazmul Faysal. He steadies himself and them lets out a powerful strike which crashes against the crossbar and comes back. Baruah was beaten all day, and the post comes to India's rescue.

Bangladesh just keep on coming. Another corner from Nazmul is deftly touched by a Bangladeshi player towards the onrushing Sabbir, who has a left-footed shot from the edge of the box. It looked threatening, but ultimately went just wide of the post.

India have been unable to break into the Bangladeshi third in the last 10 minutes or so, with the Young Tigers controlling possession and pushing hard for an equaliser. India are trying to utilise the long balls, and Gunleiba - who has been India's best player throughout the tournamnet - has a snap shot with his left foot that goes wide.

Both sides opt to make a change to inject some fresh energy into the match. Lesvin Rebelo comes on for India in place of Rahan Ahmed. Bangladesh bring on Bayzit Bostami, replacing Opu Rahman.

Arif goes past his marker and tries to make his way into the box before being brought down. Bangladesh have two shots at goal but they are quickly blocked by the body of blue shirts in front of the goal. Arif, however, stays down, and receives some attention from the physios.

Bangladesh have been piling on the pressure in search of an equaliser, and Poonia almost put the ball into the back of his own net trying to clear a corner. The Blue Colts make a double change, bringing on Diamond Singh Thokchom and Aazim Parvez Najar. Touthang and Azlaan go off.

The Indian defenders are living on the edge here. Amid constant waves of Bangladeshi attacks, an Indian defender was robbed off the ball inside the penalty box, but Baruah was alert and cleared the danger well. A very long 10 minutes remain ahead.

Another corner opportunity from Bangladesh is cleared by India, and Md Aimaan tries to counter down the right flank. He goes down under the slighest of touches from a Bangladeshi player, and the referee gives a foul, giving some respite to the Blue Colts.

With little scope of breaking into the Bangladeshi penalty area, Gangte has a shot from 30 yards out that almost catches Imtiage napping. The Bangaldeshi goalkeeper somehow manages to palm the ball over the bar for a corner.

End to end action at Colombo in the final stages. India almost increased their lead from the corner kick, but the resulting header crashed against the crossbar. Bangladeshi break forward, and Bostami showed excellent footwork to break into the box and had a shot towards the near post, but Baruah did well to get down and keep it out.

The fourth official indicates a minimum of five minutes to be played at the end of the regulation ninety minutes.

India make a double change. Md Aimaan, who went off injured, is replaced by Korou Meiti. Gunleiba is brought off, and and on comes Kamgouhao Doungel. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's Akash Ahmed earns a yellow card for a needless handball.

Unbelievable!! In what was possibly the last kick of the game, a long throw is flaoted into the box. India cannot clear the ball, and it somehow bounces off the bodies to fall free in front of the goalkeeper. Ihsan Habib Riduan, who was unmarked, came in rushing and poked in the loose ball into the back of the net.

With that final piece of action, the referee blows his whistle. The ninety minutes have been unable to separate the two teams, and on to penalty kicks we go!

India:

• Dallalmuon Gangte 🟢

• Korou Meitei 🟢

• Indra Magar 🟢

• Shubham Poonia 🟢

Bangladesh:

• Md Ikramul Islam 🔴

• Md Azam Khan 🔴

• Md Manik 🟢

What a performance from the spot by the young Indian side!! After being dominated for the entire second half by Bangladehs, resulting in that last-gasp equaliser, the Blue Colts steadied themselves, dispatching all their penalty kicks. Baruah was stunning, saving Azam Khan's shot.

As a result, India win the SAFF U17 Championship 2025 for a record seventh time.

This is the seventh SAFF U17 Championship win for India, and their fifth straight title win. Incredible achievement from Bibiano Fernandes' side, mirroring the success enjoyed by the women's national team.

SAFF U17 Championship Winners:

• 2011: Pakistan

• 2013: India

• 2015: Bangladesh

• 2017: India

• 2018: Bangladesh

• 2019: India

• 2022: India

• 2023: India

• 2024: India

• 2025: India

Indian winger Dallalmuon Gangte, who has been one of the best players in the tournament, missed out on being the tournament's top scorer. He finishes the SAFF U17 Championship 2025 with four goals, including the one he scored in the final - two behind Pakistan's Muhammad Abdullah.

India U17 have been utterly dominant in SAFF tournaments, as tonight's victory marks their 11th title win. Bibiano Fernandes, who has been in charge for five of those wins, will now lead the Blue Colts for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

India are set to play four matches in the space of eight days at the end of November, having been seeded in Group D. The schedule looks like this:

• November 22: India vs Palestine

• November: 26: India vs Chinese Taipei

• November 28: India vs Lebanon

• November 30: India vs Iran

That's it from us for tonight, folks. We hope you enjoyed our live coverage of the entire SAFF U17 Championship 2025, culminating in a nail-biting finale between India and Pakistan. Till next time, from all of us at Outlook India, goodbye and goodnight.