Substitute Nitin Jyal leveled the score for India when there were only a few seconds left of the four minutes of injury time. Jyal scored the equalizer utilizing a free-kick taken by Prokash Majumdar.[break]
Jyal´s goal took the match away from Nepal and the winner was decided through a tie-breaker. According to FIFA´s newly amended rule, if the regulation time ends in a draw, there will be no extra time in the age group tournaments below 17 years and the winner will be decided through a tie-breaker.
In the tie-breaker, Umesh Thapa and captain Heman Gurung missed their penalty kicks for Nepal.
The stadium with nearly 10,000 spectators erupted in joy when Indian Lalrammauna´s spot kick hit the post but fell silent when Thapa´s shot also hit the bar. After the initial drama, all four Indian players -- Myron Mendes, Suman Shah, Harmanjot Singh and Laldant Sanga -- converted their penalties while Nepal´s captain Gurung missed the third penalty for his team. Bishwas Shrestha and Sagar Lama scored from the spot but India won 4-2.
Earlier, Nepal had performed well against the physically tough Indians. Rishi Pithakoti Thapa Magar provided the lead in the 20th minute of the match utilizing a rebound from goalkeeper Supratim Bhattacharya. Bhattacharya had blocked Suman Lama´s shot in a cross from captain Heman Gurung but Magar pounced on the opportunity to put Nepal in front.
"We lost the match despite a good performance from our boys. They kept us under pressure till the end and we failed to handle the pressure," said Nepal coach Sunil Shrestha. "They leveled the match through a free-kick which was unnecessarily awarded by the referee."
Shrestha termed the loss as ´unfortunate´. "Heman (Gurung) is the best penalty taker in the team but I don´t know why he tried to chip the penalty today," said Shrestha.
He said that Nepal will play attacking football against Bangladesh to secure third place on Wednesday.
Both the teams had squandered half-a-dozen chances each. Heman Gurung´s free-kick in the 26th minute went inches wide off the post while Myron Mendes cleared Bishwas Shrestha´s shot from the goalline in the 49th minute. Likewise, Gurung´s free-kick from 25 yards hit the woodwork in the 77th minute.
Likewise, Daniel Lalhlimpuia´s shot in the 21st minute went wide while Laldant Sanga missed a chance from the goal-mouth in the 36th minute. Nepal custodian Birendra Chand denied Sanga in the 39th minute in a one-on-one situation. In the first minute of injury time, Chand saved a header from Raja Rawat.
"Nepal played a defensive game in the second half and we capitalized on it," said Indian coach Thomas Joseph. He said they would perform well in the final against Pakistan.
Pakistan to meet India in final
Earlier, Pakistan also scored two late goals to register a dramatic 2-0 victory over Bangladesh at the Dasharath Stadium in the first semifinal of the tournament. The match was goalless till the 89th minute when Mansoor Khan´s 20-yard shot gave Pakistan a 1-0 lead. Sher Ali scored another for Pakistan in the first minute of injury time.
Pakistan and India were in the same group, and Pakistan had defeated India 1-0 in the group match.
Pakistan and India will vie for the title on Wednesday at the Dasarath Stadium, while Nepal will take on Bangladesh in the third place playoff on the same day. Bangladesh and Nepal had played a goalless draw in the group stage.
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