In Colombo on Monday, the India–Pakistan rivalry spilled onto the football field as the SAFF U-17 Championship delivered a five-goal thriller.
India edged their arch-rivals 3-2 to finish the group stage unbeaten and top of Group B, in a match that had drama, controversy, and a dash of history.
Both teams had already sealed their semifinal berths, but the arch-rivals played with full intensity in a contest that swung back and forth before India emerged victorious.
Dallalmuon Gangte opened the scoring in the 31st minute, finishing off captain Wangkhem Denny Singh’s cutback. But Pakistan struck back just before half-time when Hamza Yasir was brought down in the box and Muhammad Abdullah converted the penalty with confidence. His celebration — sitting in the corner and mimicking sipping tea — sparked controversy online, with many linking it to the 2019 Abhinandan Varthaman incident.
The drama carried into the second half. Shubham Poonia’s driving run and clever reverse pass set up Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam to restore India’s lead in the 63rd minute, only for Yasir to equalise again seven minutes later after pouncing on a rebound.
The decisive moment arrived in the 74th minute when Rahan Ahmed, India’s hero against Bhutan, reacted quickest to a spilled shot and tucked home the winner. India held firm in the closing stages to secure their third straight win, having previously beaten Maldives 6-0 and Bhutan 1-0.
The victory sets up a semifinal showdown against Bangladesh on September 25, while Pakistan will face Nepal. The final will be played two days later.
For India, the win sealed a perfect group stage. For Pakistan, the defeat stung, but the tea-sipping celebration ensured the match lived far beyond the 90 minutes, reminding everyone that when these two nations meet, the story is never just about football.
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