Nepal and the five-time champion India are on the top of the points table with four points apiece, and a draw will confirm semifinal places for both as the group winner and runner up respectively. Nepal, however, occupies the top spot on the points table on the basis of goal superiority. [break]
But the host wants to finish the group round with a win and move into next round as group winner. Similarly, India is under pressure to give continuity to its dominance in the South Asian region and finish on top in the group rounds, which is possible only after a victory.
But defeat will leave both the teams dependent on the outcome of other match of the group to be played between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the AFP grounds, Halchowk. As both of them still have a chance to progress into the next rounds. But if Pakistan and Bangladesh share points playing the draw, both Nepal and India will make it to the semifinal.
But If India defeats Nepal by one goal margin, and Pakistan achieves three goal win over Bangladesh, Pakistan will qualify for the semifinal sending Nepal out of the group stage. The same applies in case of defending champion India if Bangladesh beats Pakistan by three goals and India goes down by one goal margin against Nepal.
Nepal had defeated Bangladesh 2-0 in its opening match and played 1-1 draw against Pakistan. Similarly, India defeated Pakistan 1-0 and played 1-1 draw against Bangladesh.
Looking at the past records, India is a stronger team. Of the 13 encounters between the two sides, Nepal has defeated India twice, including one in a tiebreaker while India has beaten Nepal 10 times. The two sides had settled for draw only once which came during their last encounter in the Nehru Cup (New Delhi) in 2012. The two sides had played 0-0 draw then. Nepal´s last victory over India was during 2006 AFC Challenge Cup.
"We will go against India to achieving victory," said Nepal´s skipper Sagar Thapa. "Though India is a title contender and the strongest team in the tournament, we have been putting better performance," Thapa said. "We had played a draw in India during our last encounter as well. Nepali team always plays with a different spirit when it takes on India."
However, India is the most successful team of the Championship that has won the title five times in the seven editions of SAFF and has finished runner up once.
Nepali team is likely to come up in the 4-4-2 formation with the same starting line up it came against Pakistan on Tuesday.
India´s Dutch coach Wim Koevermans had said that his side will work to win every match in the tournament including the group and knockout stage. "We don´t underestimate any team and have rated every opponent strong," Kovermans had said during the pre match conference.
Nepal´s probable starting line up
Goalkeeper: Kiran Chemjong
Defender: Rabin Shrestha, Sandeep Rai, Sagar Thapa, Biraj Maharjan
Midfielder: Bharat Khawas, Raju Tamang, Rohit Chand, Bhola Silwal
Forwards: Jumanu Rai, Anil Gurung
Group B points table
Team P W D L GF GA Pts
Nepal 2 1 1 0 3 1 4
India 2 1 1 0 2 1 4
Pakistan 2 0 1 1 1 2 1
Bangladesh 2 0 1 1 1 3 1
India-Nepal head-to-head records
Date Results Events
1985 Nepal 0-2 India Second SAF Dhaka
1987 Nepal 0-1 India Third SAF, Calcutta
1989 Nepal 1-2 India Fourth SAF, Islamabad
1993 Nepal 2-2 India (4-3) TB final, Sixth SAF, Dhaka
1993 Nepal 0-1 India First SARC Gold Cup
1995 Nepal 0-3 India Seventh SAF, Madras
1998 Nepal 0-1 India 13th Asian Games, Bangkok
1999 Nepal 0-4 India Eighth SAF, Kathmandu
2005 Nepal 1-2 India Fourth SAFF Championship, Karachi
2006 Nepal 3-0 India First AFC Challenge Cup
2008 Nepal 0-4 India Fifth SAFF Championship
2009 Nepal 0-1 India Sixth SAFF Championship
2012 Nepal 0-0 India Nehru Cup, New Delhi
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