India had won Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2009 after beating Maldives in Penalty Shootout (3 – 1) in the final match held at Bangabandhu Stadium at Dhaka.
From the beginning of the game Maldives kept pressure on Indian side, but the Indian team’s strategy was very positive as they were lucky without conceding a goal and keeping the score line blank until the end of 90 minutes and also in the extra period of the game.
Maldives who beat Sri Lanka 5 – 1 in the semi-final of the tournament was not in the best form throughout the game, but the countless goal scoring chances were created by the tiny Islanders and overall the match control was on Maldives side.
India who played a defensive game got a golden opportunity to win the match on extra period, but the skipper Sushil wasted the open chance in front of the goal. In the other hand Maldives would have won the match if their open chances in the game were converted in to goals, most noticeably the chances fallen to Thariq and Ashfaq even in the dying minutes of the game.
After the goalless draw in the penalty shootout, India decided to take the first penalty and Jibon, Denzil and Subodh got their target but Nirmal fired his one wide.
From four penalties Maldives win only the one scored by Ibrahim Fazeel, while Tahriq and Mukhthar saw their penalties saved by Arindam and Ashfag flies his chance over the bar.
Ahmed Thariq (Maldives), Channa (Sri Lanka) and Enamul (Bangladesh) were the joint Top scorers of the tournament with 4 goals. And Indian keeper Arindam who played in four games of the tournament and achieved 100% clean sheet was awarded to the Most Valuable player of the tournament.
India team who became the Champions of Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2009 extends their record in the regional tournament as winning the 5th title out of 8 played since 1993. Also this years’ tournament has built another record to India as to clinch a title with the least number of goals scored in a tournament. India scored only 3 goals in five matches but it should be noted that India had conceded only 2 goals in five matches.
Maldives scored 11 goals in this tournament while conceded 3 goals in five matches.
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