Maldives test for India in stormy Arunachal

Showing their dominance in the group stage, India will look to carry the momentum in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, when they take on Maldives in the second semifinal of the SAFF U19 Championship on Friday.

Finishing second behind India in Group B, Nepal will lock horns with Bangladesh in the first semifinal earlier on the day.

India steamrolled both their Group B opponents Sri Lanka (8-0) and Nepal (4-0) to finish at the top of the standings and set up a clash with Maldives, who were winless but unbeaten in Group A.

Maldives drew 2-2 in both their group matches against Bangladesh and Bhutan. However, Maldives have shown great resolve, displaying their fighting spirit in the first match against Bangladesh, where they trailed by two goals until the 57th minute before scoring twice to draw level.

In a must-win match against Bhutan on Tuesday, they equalised in the 77th minute and took the lead in the fifth minute of injury time. Although Bhutan drew level at the death, a point was enough for Maldives to qualify.

And India coach Bibiano Fernandes is aware of the threat that their grit poses.

"Maldives have shown great character, in both their matches, coming from behind to draw. That shows they don't give up easily and can hurt teams if given space," Fernandes said at the pre-match press conference on Thursday.

"For us, the approach remains the same, staying focused, humble and playing to our strengths. We've analysed their games, and the boys are preparing well. There are no second chances in knockout matches. It's all or nothing. But the boys are prepared for it, mentally and tactically. The key is to stay calm and play with discipline."

India will find confidence in the head-to-head stats against Maldives, having won all nine of their games in age-group competitions. The match will head straight into penalties if the scores remain level at the end of regulation time.

It has been raining incessantly over the past two days in Itanagar and the surrounding areas, and while Fernandes and his boys are geared up to perform in any condition, adapting to the local weather hasn't been easy for Maldives.

Maldives coach Ahmed Shakir said on Thursday, "We had a slow start in both matches, and I think it has something to do with the weather as well. It was hot during the first game, but it rained and got cold in the second game. It's not the kind of weather we are used to in Maldives."

Fernandes, meanwhile, commended the Arunachal crowd that has come in numbers at Golden Jubilee Stadium and cheered every one of the 12 goals, as well as the assists, that six different Indian players have netted in the tournament so far.

"The crowd in Arunachal has been fantastic so far. It's not something you see often at the youth level and we're really grateful for it," the India coach said. "That kind of atmosphere pushes young players to perform and gives them confidence. So, we hope more and more people come to watch the semifinal."

He is not likely to be disappointed in his wish on Friday.