Bangladesh beat defending champion India in the shoot-out of the first semi-final of the 2018 Saff U-15 Championship at ANFA Complex in Lalitpur, Nepal Thursday.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw after the stipulated 90 minutes but the boys in red and green prevailed 4-2 in the tie-breaker.
With the win, Bangladesh, champion of the 2015 edition, will play in the final against Pakistan Saturday at the same venue.
Pakistan, the champion of the inaugural edition of this tournament in 2011, when it was called the Saff U-16 Championship, beat host Nepal 4-0 in the second semi-final to seal the final berth.
This is the fifth edition of this tournament, where India won the other two editions back in 2013 and 2017, and the winner of Saturday's match will equal India in the roll of honour.
Thursday, India took the lead in the 17th minute thanks to Harsh Shailesh Patre, who scored a spectacular goal from the halfway mark, as the ball found the roof of the left corner.
That goal seemed to be enough as the scoreline remained same till the 90 minutes but forward Russel Ahmed was fouled in the box when he was attempting a header off a cross from the right flank in the 91st minute.
Substitute Ashiqur Rahman beat the diving keeper in the right corner from the spot to push the match into the tie-breaker.
Bangladesh boys continued to showcase their penalty taking skills as they converted four shots and that was enough for them as their counterparts, who took the first shot, missed two in their first four attempts.
Bangladesh coach Parvez Babu was ecstatic with the win but at the same time he was planning forward and wanted to withhold the celebration after clinching the silverware.
“We had a great victory against India in the semi-final but it is not the time to celebrate, we are thinking and planning for the final against Pakistan,” said Parvez after the match.
RESULTS
Bangladesh 1 (Ashikur 90+3) 1 India (Patre 17)
Bangladesh won 4-2 on penalties
Pakistan 4 0 Nepal