Shanaan rashaadh

SAFF U20 Championship: After 95 minutes of toil by India, Manglenthang Kipgen's stunning left-footed long-range strike helped the Blue Colts notch a 1-0 win over the Maldives in their final Group B match and qualify for the semifinal of the SAFF U20 Championship at the ANFA Complex. India, who had beaten Bhutan 1-0 in the first game on Monday, finished Group B as table toppers and will face Group A runners-up Bangladesh in the semi-final on Monday.

The MVP of last year's SAFF U19 Championship after scoring a brace in the final against Pakistan, Kipgen, coming on as a second-half substitute on Friday afternoon, proved clutch again for India as he maintained perfect composure and lodged the ball into the bottom corner with his left foot from 25 yards out.

The Maldives goalkeeper Mohamed Yaameen, who had been on top of his game, denying India on numerous occasions throughout the 90 minutes, could do nothing about Kipgen's wonder strike.