The youth team will be aspiring to end Nepal's title drought of around one and a half decade by beating India. The last international football title that any team of Nepal lifted was during the Eighth South Asian Games in 1999. Since then, Nepal has never won any international football title be it at the age group, women's event or by the national team.
A victory for Nepal in the final will also put a brake on India's six match undefeated record against Nepal in all forms of football and will also end the latter's 'jinx' against the South Asian powerhouse.
The U-16 team has been beaten by India in all three editions of the SAFF U-16 Championship -- twice in the semifinals and once in the final. The women's team has gone down against the same opponent in the final of all three editions of the Women's SAFF Championship held so far.
After beating the national team of India in group stage of the SAFF Championship in 2013, Nepal played three matches against the nemesis and faced two defeats and settled for a draw in another. The latest match was played in March earlier this year.
In the ongoing tournament, both Nepal and India have maintained their cent percent winning streaks en route to the final. India has managed to maintain clean sheet so far. Nepal defeated Bhutan and Bangladesh 3-1 and 2-1 respectively in the group stage and edged past Afghanistan 3-2 in the semifinal while India beat Afghanistan and the Maldives 2-0 and 3-0 in group stage and Bangladesh 4-2 in tiebreaker in the semifinal after a goalless draw in regulation and additional time.
Coaches of both the sides pointed out the final to be a 50/50 contest. "Though the match will be an evenly-contested affair, we are prepared to win the final and lift the trophy," Nepal's coach Bal Gopal Maharjan said at the pre match conference on Friday.
India's assistant coach Syed Sabir Pasha said that the match against Nepal will be a tough test for his team. "Nepal is a strong team and they have been scoring goals while we have not conceded single goal so far. Thus it will be the strong test for our team," Pasha said.
"Nepal is a physically strong side, there are some intelligent players and they have also scored in set pieces," he said.
"Anyone who takes the lead has high chances of winning," he added.
Pointing out the drawback of his team in previous matches, he said, "We were not able to convert the chances we created and if we utilize them, I hope we can beat Nepal since the boys are motivated."
Nepal's coach Maharjan said that his side is highly motivated after three wins in a row. He also said that the team is ready to avenge the defeat against India faced two years ago in the SAFF U-16 final at home and also few weeks ago in Bangladesh.
He, however, rated India as a strong opponent. "India is a tough opponent with strong midfield and attacking line-up. But we can beat them if we come up with continuous strike on goal and through set pieces," he said.
Nepal's attack will be spearheaded by skipper Bimal Gharti Magar, Anjan Bista and Biswash Shrestha. Coach Maharjan, however, is likely to make changes in his defense line-up since Gaurab Budhathoki is injured and likely to be rested.
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