India fight back to draw 3-3 with Nepal in SAFF Futsal
India fought back three times to hold Nepal 3-3 in a thrilling SAFF Futsal Championship 2026 clash at Nonthaburi Stadium. Nikhil Mali’s last-second equaliser capped a dramatic contest featuring goals from Adhikari, Laltluangzela, Rana and Lama
Hyderabad: India fought back three times to secure a 3-3 draw against Nepal in their second match of the SAFF Futsal Championship 2026 at the Nonthaburi Stadium on Sunday.
Played over two high-intensity 20-minute periods, the contest was fiercely competitive and went down to the final seconds as skipper Nikhil Mali drilled in the equaliser with less than a second remaining.
Both sides began on an even footing, probing cautiously while looking to exploit transitions. Nepal, ranked 114th in the world, struck first in the fifth minute with a superb counter-attack. A swift switch of play exposed gaps in the Indian backline, allowing Bijay Shrestha to move the ball quickly from the left to Amit Lama on the right. Lama’s sharp one-touch pass found Bikrant Narsingh Rana unmarked inside the area, and he finished calmly.
India, ranked 133rd, responded immediately. Within a minute, Anmol Adhikari split the Nepal defence with an incisive pass to Vincent Laltluangzela, who timed his run perfectly before slotting past the goalkeeper to restore parity.
The equaliser settled India, who began to dominate possession and dictate the tempo through controlled passing and intelligent movement.
The Futsal Tigers came close to taking the lead midway through the first period when Adhikari and Laltluangzela combined again, teeing up Hafis AM, whose effort drifted narrowly wide. Nepal tightened their defensive shape thereafter, but India still threatened late in the half, with Lalsangkima’s powerful long-range strike drawing an excellent save from Nepal goalkeeper Padam Tamang. The teams went into the interval level at 1-1.
The second period opened cautiously. Nepal regained the lead in the 25th minute after capitalising on a loose ball. Rana reacted quickest and laid it off to Lama, who unleashed a fierce shot beyond Silva to make it 2-1.
India pushed hard for another equaliser and went close in the 30th minute when K Roluahpuia struck the woodwork after Tamang had parried a long-range effort. Persistence paid off in the 39th minute when Adhikari produced a moment of brilliance, shrugging off his marker before exchanging passes and finishing emphatically with his right foot to draw India level again.
India then went in search of a late winner, utilising the power play by taking off Silva for an extra outfielder, Lalrinzuala H. The gamble proved costly as a misplaced pass allowed Bijay Shrestha to roll the ball into an empty net in the final minute to restore Nepal’s advantage.
However, the drama was not over. Seconds later, Saroj Tamang was sent off for Nepal, reducing them to four men. With the final play of the match, Nikhil Mali struck a thunderous effort to equalise, ensuring a share of the spoils in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
