Bangladesh will come with full strength, says India coach ahead of final

India will face Bangladesh in the final of the SAFF Women’s Championship on Saturday after securing a hard-fought victory over Bhutan in the semi-finals.

However, India head coach Crispin Chettri has dismissed any notion of home advantage ahead of the title-deciding clash, arguing that the absence of local support has effectively turn the final into a contest on neutral ground.

Questioning the idea that India would enjoy an advantage by playing on home soil, Chettri pointed to the empty stands at Goa’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

“Did you see any Indian spectators in the stadium?” he asked. “There is no home advantage here. I am not even thinking about it.”

According to the India coach, the lack of crowd support means the final will be an evenly balanced affair, with both teams having an equal chance of lifting the trophy.

“The final will be a 50-50 match,” Chettri said. “Whatever happened in the group stage is in the past. This is a new game. And in a final, the team that scores first gains a huge psychological advantage.”

India booked their place in the final by defeating Bhutan 1-0 in the second semi-final of the eighth SAFF Women’s Championship. Speaking at the post-match press conference late on Wednesday night, however, Chettri's comments were marked more by self-criticism than celebration.

The coach, who hails from Kurseong in Darjeeling, admitted candidly that his side had been fortunate to emerge victorious.

“We did not play well at all,” he said. “The victory was not deserved, yet we won 1-0. Football is not always about technique and tactics; it is also a mental game. Bhutan’s players fought like warriors. In my opinion, they deserved the win. We should have played well throughout the full 90 minutes.”

Chettri acknowledged that his team may have underestimated Bhutan and admitted India were fortunate not to concede twice during the first half. Nevertheless, he stressed that the final against Bangladesh would be an entirely different challenge.

Showing considerable respect for the defending champions, he said, “It will be a different match altogether. I believe Bangladesh will come into the final with their full strength. It certainly will not be easy for us.”

He added that India would require no additional motivation for a final against their regional rivals.

“We do not need any special inspiration to play against Bangladesh. That motivation comes naturally,” he said.

Responding to a question from Prothom Alo regarding home advantage, Chettri reiterated that the atmosphere in Goa hardly resembles that of a home fixture.

“There is no home advantage. Have you seen any spectators in the stadium? No. There are no Indian supporters in the stands. So there is no question of playing at home. Think of it as a neutral venue,” he said.

The coach noted that nearly a thousand Nepali supporters had attended Bangladesh’s semi-final against Nepal earlier in the tournament, while Indian fans had largely stayed away from their own team’s matches.

“That is why I consider this a neutral ground,” he said.

Chettri also reflected on Bangladesh’s hard-earned 2-1 victory over Nepal in the first semi-final, which was secured through a dramatic stoppage-time winner in the 93rd minute.

“The scoreline itself shows how difficult the match was,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, Bhutan head coach Kim Tae-in praised his players for their spirited display despite the defeat to India. However, when asked who he considered the favourite for the final, the South Korean tactician declined to be drawn into the debate, simply replying, “No comments.”

The SAFF Women’s Championship final between Bangladesh and India will take place on Saturday, with both sides seeking regional supremacy in what promises to be another fiercely contested encounter between South Asia’s leading women’s football nations.