India 1-0 Nepal Live Score, SAFF Women's Championship Semi-Final: Mayhem In Kathmandu As Play Halted Again Post Umpiring Fiasco

Mayhem in Kathmandu. India open scoring via Sangita Basfore, who drills in a terrific long shot past Nepal goalie Anjila Subba into the top corner. India erupt in celebrations, and even as the substitutes are on the field, Nepal restart play. It seems the resumption is too quick, and Nepal's Preeti Rai sends the ball in to the empty net. India are having none of it. They protest loudly, and India's assistant coach Priya Parathi Valappil has been booked as a result.

Nepal reply with a couple of attacking moves of their own. The hosts seem to have recovered after the Rekha send-off, and are now taking the fight to India. Both sides' defenders doing a good job to keep their sheets clean. Remember, a draw in full time will lead to a penalty shootout straight away.

Play finally resumes after a 12-minute halt and Grace Dangmei immediately delivers a lovely cross for Manisha in front of goal, but the southpaw misses with the header. India still eyeing that elusive goal.

With Bhutanese referee Om Choki's decision to eject Rekha Poudel, Nepal are now down to 10 women. Play about to resume in Kathmandu as the crowd if finally coming to terms with the fact that their top goal-scorer of the tournament (7 goals) will not be playing further part in the match.

What we are witnessing now is unfortunate and not great for women's football in Asia. The referee's decision was evidently not the right one, as replays indicate that Rekha got her foot on the ball in the challenge. But some rowdy elements in the crowd have taken it upon themselves to make their displeasure known, and the match has to be halted as a result. This is the third time Nepal hosting the SAFF Women's Championship, and it seems they might not get a fourth time in the foreseeable future.

Rekha Poudel is sent off! She gets her second yellow of the match for what is deemed dangerous play and has to walk back. Rekha is absolutely furious, in disbelief at the decision. She vehemently claims that she got the ball in a challenge on Ashalata. Se even pushes the referee back in anger, but the latter stands her ground and asks Rekha to leave. The Nepal forward remonstrates for a long time before trudging off and the crowd begins misbehaving.

A word on the Nepal crowd here. Spectators have come out in numbers to support their home team, and it is quite a heartening sight to see them fill up the Dasharath Stadium. We now have almost a full house, and they are making themselves heard for sure.

The second half gets underway. Both teams know that one goal could be enough to seal a win, given the kind of scrappy affair and lack of clinicality in the final third we have witnessed so far.

India miss another great opportunity, right at the stroke of half time. The Manisha Kalyan free-kick is half-cleared, presenting itself to both Jyoti and Manisha for shots at goal. Both go for it, but are intercepted and the first half ends with the scoreline reading 0-0.

India finally with an offensive move of their own after a long while. Manisha Kalyan it is, again with the the run and Puja Rana, Rekha Pudel both launch into her to stop the midfielder from causing further danger.

Nepal with a last-ditch attempt at scoring before the half-time whistle. India cautiously trying to keep them at bay. Meanwhile, Sabita goes down after Sanju's challenge and the home team's physio comes out. Sabita has to walk off, unfortunately.

Sabitra continues to surge ahead in search of Nepal's opener, but to no avail as yet. She is perhaps not getting the kind of support she would like in the final third. We are now seconds away from the end of the first-half's regulation time. Three minutes to be added as stoppage time.

The tempo of play has slowed down a bit as the minutes tick away before the first half ends. India missed out on a massive chance to go into the lead, but have since done well to avert a Nepal goal.

Nepal now truly coming into their own, lining up move after attacking move. Sabitra, who's popularly known as Samba, creates a genuine chance from the left, and Bala Devi comes in the way. Nepal appeal for hand ball, but the referee says no and with VAR (video assistant referee) not available, the hosts get a corner instead. It comes to nought, India hold on.

Nepal miss huge chance! Sabitra Bhandari lets one rip from her left foot at the edge of the Indian D, and Chanu does well to dive to her right and parry the rasping shot. The ball falls plumb in front for a rebound, but Chanu again does well to lift it over the bar. Nepal get a corner, and it is thwarted safely by India.

Manisha catches hold of the ball in the Indian half and sends a long ball down the line for Jyoti Chauhan, who tries to make something of the move but fails eventually.

Nepal striker Sabitra wins them a corner with an enterprising run on a counter. Rekha tries to volley the corner ball in but her shot goes wide of goal. Nepal with a genuine chance of their own.

India miss a massive chance! Jyoti Chauhan wins a corner kick for India and Manisha Kalyan steps up to take it. The left-footer sends a superb curling ball in and Jyoti gets the header on target, but Anjila somehow manages to keep it out and the resulting parry lands in front of goal. But the next shot from Bala Devi flies over the bar, and India squander a golden opportunity to draw first blood.

The Indian team had recognised before the match that Nepal's star forward Sabitra Bhandari will be the main threat for them, and sure enough, the attacker is making her presence felt on the pitch. She takes a long shot at the Indian goal but no harm done as Chanu is easily behind it.

Nepal forward Rekha Poudel comes up with a searching run down the left flank and dodges a couple of Indian defenders before taking a left-footed shot at goal. But Indian goalie Panthoi Chanu is equal to the task, diving forward to ensure the ball doesn't trickle out after she catches it.

Manisha Kalyan and her team-mates are piling on the pressure on the Nepal defence. Several incisive runs and early attempts at goal from the visitors, though nothing entirely goal-threatening.

We have an interesting start to the match, as India take a shot on the Nepal goal right off the second touch post kick-off. The shot is on target, but the Nepal goalkeeper Anjila Tumbapo is alert and pouches the ball safely. No harm done.

Title holders Bangladesh decimated Bhutan by a resounding 7-1 margin in the first semi-final, earlier in the day. They now await the victor of the India vs Nepal match in the summit clash.

Here is India's starting XI for the crucial clash:

The last-four encounter will kick off at 6:15pm IST, and can be live streamed on the FanCode app and website in India. It will not be live telecast on any TV channel in India. India have won the title in five of the six previous editions, and a victory tonight would book their sixth final appearance in the competition.