India, seven-time SAFF Championship winners, have their task cut out for the remaining two round robin fixtures. After being held to a 1-1 draw by Bangladesh and 0-0 by Sri Lanka, Igor Stimac's men cannot afford yet another draw. They need to win both their remaining matches to squeeze into the final.

The first of those two must-win games comes in the form of Nepal on Sunday in Male, Maldives. India and Nepal had played two friendlies in Kathmandu in September where India won the second fixture (2-1) while drawing the first.

'Nothing much has changed,” Stimac maintained in the official pre-match press conference. “We are here, and we are still alive in the Championship. We are still here to win the tournament,” he added.

“We know them very well and have played twice against them. It’s an open game and if we play well, and do it right on the pitch, I am sure that we can win the game. There is no other option for us than to go out there and win it,” Stimac stated.

The pressure has mounted on Stimac after two poor performances where India lacked cohesion and a plan going forward. Against Bangladesh, India were 1-0 up and had a man advantage but allowed pressure to build before succumbing. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, remained largely unbothered by just a single shot on target.

Nepal come into the fixture on the back of two wins and lead the points table. They beat Maldives, Sri Lanka and look good to make the final.

India vs Nepal || SAFF Championship 2021 || Prematch Fans Talk.