SAF Games football: India face Afghanistan in opener

The Indian football team will open their campaign in the South Asian Games with a match against Afghanistan on January 29 at M A Aziz Stadium in Chittagong.

Four-time champions India have been clubbed in Group B alongside defending champions Pakistan, last edition runners-up Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

Matches of Group A, that comprise Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan, will be played at the Bangabandhu Stadium  in Dhaka, as also the semi-finals on February 5 and the final on February 8.

The football competition in the SAF Games is an under-23 affair but India will send its under-19 team, coached by Sukhwinder Singh.

In the last edition in 2006 in Colombo, India sent an under-20 side under Islam Akhemedov and finished fourth after losing to Sri Lanka in the semi-final and to Nepal in the bronze medal play-off.

In the women's competition which is part of the SAF Games for the first time, India play Sri Lanka in their opening round-robin match on January 29.

Besides India, the other teams are Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The top two teams will play in the final on February 8.

Tournament Fixtures:

Men's

Jan 29: India vs Afghanistan; Pakistan vs Sri Lanka

Jan 30: Maldives vs Bhutan; Bangladesh vs Nepal

Jan 31: India vs Sri Lanka; Pakistan vs Afghanistan

Feb 1: Maldives vs Nepal; Bangladesh vs Bhutan

Feb 2: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan; Pakistan vs India

Feb 3: Nepal vs Bhutan; Bangladesh vs Maldives

Feb 5: Semifinals: Group A winners vs Group B runners-up; Group B winners vs Group A runners-up.

Feb 7: 3rd Place Play-off

Feb 8: Final

Women's:

Jan 29: India vs Sri Lanka; Bangladesh vs Nepal

Jan 31: India vs Pakistan; Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka

Feb 2: Nepal vs Sri Lanka; Bangladesh vs Pakistan

Feb 4: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka; India vs Nepal

Feb 6: Pakistan vs Nepal; Bangladesh vs India

Feb 8: Final.