Matiur magic sees hosts through to SAFF final

Eight minutes into sudden death extra-time in the breathtaking second semifinal of the third South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) between hosts Bangladesh and two-time champions India. The score is even at 1-1.

Motiur Munna wins a tussle in the midfield and starts a solo run down the middle, forcing the Indian defence to backtrack and the crowd in the stand on their feet.

In a split-second brilliance, Munna creates a little space with a sway, just enough to unleash a blinder of a left-footed 25-yarder into the top left-hand corner of Indian custodian Nazeem Akhter.

The crowd bursts into a roar for the second time under magnificent lights at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. Bangladesh have made it to the final of the South Asia football fiesta. The score: 2-1.

It was the third Bangladesh win in 19 meetings against India since the rivalry began in 1978.

Bangladesh will now take on Maldives in Monday's final. Earlier in the afternoon, Maldives recorded a lone-goal victory over Pakistan in the first semifinal of the day. Fazeel scored the all-important goal for the much-improved islanders in the 12th minute.

However, it was the blood and thunder Bangladesh-India match that caught the imagination of a nation starved off success in international football.

Smarting under their recent 3-0 thrashing by Indian in the Busan Asian Games, the boys of George Kottan were determined to turn the table this time around.

The inspired Bangladesh team not only pushed the Indians on the back foot right from the word go, but also played at the same blistering pace during the whole course of the game.

After a barren first half, Bangladesh took a deserving lead from a set piece in the 77th minute.

Arman Miah, the little midfield maestro, delivered a typically deadly corner from the right-hand flag, which an airborne Kanchan headed home from the far post.

But India silenced the partisan crowd four minutes later when substitute midfielder Alvito D' Chuna spooned the ball over an out-of-position Aminul for his third goal of the tournament.

The otherwise solid Bangladesh custodian had only himself to blame for not staying on the line. It was Aminul's first goal under the bar after 257minute of clean slate in the eight-team meet.

India came close to scoring a late winner after that stunning equaliser but IM Vijayan's shot from inside the box missed the mark by a yard, much to the relief of the home side.

Earlier, Jo Paul Anchery also tested Aminul with two quick shots with his stronger left foot after the break.

Bangladesh could have gone ahead in the very fifth minute when Kanchan came up with a spectacular header of an Arman corner, but only to be cleared by Climax Lawrence on the goal line.

Apart from that it was a story of near misses by the homeboys, who otherwise played the best match of the tournament.

It was refreshing to see Bangladesh adopting an all-out attacking tactic, leaving the much-vaunted Indians gasping for air and space.

Yellow cards: Arman, Kanchan, Joy, Rajani (Bangladesh), Ashim Biswas and Alvito (India).

Bangladesh: Aminul, Hasan-al Mamun (Titu), Sujon, Nazrul, Rajani, Parvez Babu (Farhad), Motiur Munna, Arman, Joy, Kanchan and Alfaz (Uzzal).

India: Nasim, Renedy Singh, Anchery, Debjit Gosh, Suresh, Venkatesh, Roberto, Climax Lawrence, Samir Naik (Abhay Kumar), IM Vijayan and Ashim Biswas (Alvito).

Referee: Kunsuta Chaiwat (Thailand).