Nepal qualified for the semi-finals of the SAFF U-20 Championship with a match in hand after Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka 2-0 at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato, Lalitpur on Monday.

Nepal had defeated Sri Lanka 1-0 in the tournament opener on Sunday. Bangladesh’s victory means both Nepal and Bangladesh—each on three points—progressed into the last four from Group A. Bangladesh lead the current standings due to goal difference.

Sri Lanka crashed out after two consecutive defeats.

Nepal and Bangladesh meet on Thursday in a Group B match that will decide the group winners and possibly a chance to avoid semi clash with defending champions India, who defeated Bhutan 1-0 in a tense game that saw Bhutanese Kinley Gyeltshen and India’s Pramveer and Vanlalpeka Guite sent off in the second half following a scuffle.

India, the winners of the last three editions, have three points and take on the Maldives on Friday.

Nepal, who won the championship in 2015 and 2017, will be appearing in their fifth semi-finals of the competition. Nepal have failed to progress past the group stage only once—in 2019 at home when they finished below Bhutan and the Maldives in group stage.

Bangladesh were runners-up in 2017, 2019 and 2022.

In Satdobato, Mirajul Islam put Bangladesh in front in the 17th minute thanks to Mohammed Rabby Hossen Rahul who dispossessed Bhutan’s Atheeif Ansar Muhammed and set up Mirajul to tap home a simple finish.

Mohammed Piash Ahmmed Nova then put the game to bed in the 85th minute with a superb goal from inside the penalty box, sending his team through.

Bhutan are in action against the Maldives on Wednesday and must win the battle to keep alive their semi-final hopes. The Maldives will progress if they beat Bhutan.

The group stage matches are being played at the ANFA Complex due to poor pitch of the Dasharath Stadium. The poor management of the country’s only international-standard football ground was exposed when Keisuke Honda and his Bhutanese team Paro FC and A-Division League champions Church Boys United played their AFC Challenge League qualification playoff game in a puddled and muddy pitch.

The Dasharath Stadium was scheduled to host all the matches of the SAFF U-20 Championship but All Nepal Football Association moved the group fixtures to Satdobato after SAFF match commissioner Abdul Hameed Abdul Ghafoor deemed the ground substandard.

ANFA has said the semi-finals and the final of the championship will be held at the Dasharath Stadium’s football ground, which is undergoing renovation.