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Baichung eyes a 4th

India-Maldives final today

Sports Reporter
A spirited and inform Maldives stand in reigning champions India's way to claim their fourth SAFF Championship title ■’' the two teams meet in the final of the fifth
edition of the regional football competition today.
The India-Maldives final, a repeat of the inaugural SAFF Championship final in Kathmandu back in 1997, will kick off at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo at 8 pm Bangladesh time.
India, guided by English coach Bob Houghton, however, will have history on their side. They have won all three finals -- in 1997, 1999 and 2005 -- and the only time they missed out was in 2003 in Dhaka when they were ousted 2-1 by
eventual champions and hosts Bangladesh in the semifinals.
Slovakian coach Jozef Jankech's Maldives, who twice made the final pairing earlier, were destroyed 5-1 by India in Kathmandu and went down in tiebreakers in Dhaka.
The only plus point for Maldives, yet to win an international against India, would be the lively brand of football they have showed throughout the eightnation meet including a 1-0 win over fellow co-hosts Sri Lanka in Colombo.
Although the Indians had rested six key players during their 1 -0 win in the group stage against Maldives in Male, the match was dominated by the hosts.
India also showed exhausted legs when they were stretched by tournament’s surprise pack Bhutan in the semifinals and needed a stoppage-time goal after 120 minutes to win 2 -1.
"he final, in the end, would be for the fortunate — who would be
able to grab the chances early --and the experienced.
While the exciting Maldives midfielder Ashfaq Ali holds the key for his team, Indian skipper Baichung Bhutia could make all the difference although the veteran of four tournaments has showed signs of ageing in what seems to be his last SAFF Championship.
The star striker, who has all three winners' medal and missed the 2003 version due to injury, would definitely be eager to sign off with another feather in his illustrious cap.
Only three players --Bangladesh defender Hassan Al Mamun and goalkeepers Biplab Bhattachariya and Arninul Haque -- have appeared in all SAFF Championships so far although the defender has played in all five. Arninul served the bench in 1997 while Biplab was second choice in 1999 and 2003. Both the veteran goalkeepers shared the duty in 2005 and this year.