India vs Nepal Football Highlights, SAFF Championship 2023: India beat Nepal 2-0 to enter semis

12' - Wet conditions are making ball control difficult for both the teams, more so for Nepal. India have so far just below 80% pass accuracy, while Nepal have just 55% accuracy.

9' - Akaash with an aerial cross into the Nepal box from the left flank, but the ball is headed out to safety.

7' - First India attack into the Nepal box. But the move ends with a goal kick for Nepal after Mahesh Singh fails to control the ball.

5' - It's drizzling in Bengaluru at the moment. Players are all soaked in the rain.

4' - India dominated the possession early in the game, but no box penetration yet from the hosts forwards.

1' - Mahesh Singh is fouled in India's half. Free-kick for India.

Here we go...Kick-off time! India start the proceedings in Bengaluru

Time for the national anthems. First up Nepal's anthem, followed by India's.

India players warming up before the match

Check out India's Starting XI

Coach Stimac, who is banned from the dugout for the game, greets Team India players at the stadium

Gawli wanted the team to build on it, and expressed satisfaction over the visible improvement. He attributed it to the cohesiveness of the unit.

But, India have made some strides under head coach Igor Stimac. Defence has been India's Achilles' Heel in the past but they have now managed to keep a clean sheet in the last seven matches, a record for Stimac's side. Experienced Sandesh Jhingan too seemed to have come into his elements.

The Indian camp is very much aware of Nepal's potency and assistant coach Mahesh Gawli warned his side against letting their guard down against the Gorkhalis.

Additionally, Nepal coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese is quite familiar with Indian football as he has served as manager of I-League winning side Gokulam Kerala FC.

Coach's message for the boys

However, India will have to guard against complacency as Nepal have the wherewithal to spring a surprise. Nepal's 31-year-old midfielder Rohit Chand, who plays in Indonesian League, and forward Anjan Bista could be surprise packages.

Nepal went down 1-3 to Kuwait in their opening match and a positive result against India, however tough that might be, is mandatory for them to stay alive in the SAFF tournament.

India will be without the services of head coach Igor Stimac after he was shown a red card during India's 4-0 win over Pakistan in the ill-tempered opening match. Assistant coach Mahesh Gawli will take charge of the team at the dugout.

Match Day

Chhetri's effort might have come as a relief for India as they are missing the services of injured Ishan Pandita upfront.

The Blue Tigers carried that confidence into their opening match at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, turning on the afterburners to hammer Pakistan 4-0 and the victory was laced by captain Sunil Chhetri's hat-trick.

India entered the SAFF Championship on the back of their 2-0 triumph over Lebanon in the Intercontinental Cup final in Odisha.

As far as the SAFF tournament is concerned, India also have a commanding 6-2 head-to-head record from nine matches. Even the recent form of both the teams indicate an Indian domination.

The last meeting between the two sides came during the 2021 SAFF Championship when India defeated Nepal 3-0.

On paper, the hosts hold all the aces, evidenced by an overwhelming 16-2 overall head-to-head record in 23 matches played between them, a sequence that started in the 1985 SAF Games.

A 4-0 hammering of Pakistan giving them the perfect start, India will have a wonderful opportunity to move closer to the semifinals of the SAFF Championship when they face Nepal today.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the SAFF Championship group game between hosts India and Nepal.