SAFF Championship 2013: Maldives media still fond of India’s 2009 hero Arindam Bhattacharya

There are a few similarities in the build up to Monday’s SAFF 2013 semi-final between Maldives and India and the 2009 final which was contested by Maldives and India’s U-23 side. In this edition, India have looked unconvincing in the group stage and only crawled their way into the last four, while Maldives have played like contenders and qualified for the semis as group winners.

Four years ago also Maldives cruised into the final and were red hot favourites for the summit clash against India U-23s, who scored only three goals in four matches and rode their luck a bit to reach the final.

The India U23 side which won the SAFF Championship in 2009

Anything other than a Maldives triumph, which would have seen them retain the title, seemed inconceivable, but one youngster for the Indian colts had other ideas. Goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya had already kept three clean sheets in as many games, and in the final he made three or four top class saves to prevent Maldives from scoring not only in the 90 minutes but in the additional 30 also.

The Red Snappers felt the pressure of being favourites and were frustrated by the goalkeeping of Arindam. It seemed inevitable that Maldives would go on to lose the penalty shoot-out, and so it happened with Arindam making two saves and Maldives superstar Ali Ashfaq failing to hit the target from his spot-kick. Against all odds, the U-23 side of India had beaten the defending champions to lift the country’s record fifth SAFF title.

Four years on, Arindam isn’t part of the India squad for SAFF 2013, but the travelling Maldives media are still fond of him and enquired Sportskeeda about why the current Churchill Brothers goalkeeper isn’t part of the senior set-up.

“Where is Arindam playing nowadays? Why isn’t he there in the India squad? He is a great goalkeeper, isn’t it?” asked Mohamed Hamdhoon, sports reporter of haveeruonline.

Sportskeeda informed him that Arindam has struggled with injuries in recent years, and even missed out the 2011 Asian Cup squad due to a knock.

But Hamdhoon was still full of praise for the 24-year-old, and looking back to that 2009 final, he told Sportskeeda, “We were expected to win that game and probably would have had Arindam not played. He was the difference between the sides and the Maldives media praised him the day after the final.”

Mohamed Firash of maldivesoccer.com agreed with Hamdoon and said, “He showed some great reflexes and made vital saves not only in the shoot-out but in the 120 minutes also. It looked impossible for Maldives to score past him.”

In the 2009 edition, Maldives had beaten the India U-23s 2-0 in the group stage, but Arindam didn’t play in that game. Hamdhoon recalled how Arindam’s heroics in the final overshadowed Ali Ashfaq’s poor display.

“In the group stage we won easily because Arindam didn’t play but in the final he was absolutely brilliant. In the 2008 edition the Maldives locals were quite impressed by Subrata (Pal) but Arindam performed much better in 2009. He was the best player of that tournament but our very own Ashfaq had a poor game, it was possibly his worst game for the Maldives national team,” he said.

Firash added, “Yes Ashfaq was completely off colour, a lot was expected of him but full credit to Arindam.”

Currently in his second spell at Churchill Brothers, Arindam will be determined to return to the Indian national team and these words of praise from the Maldives media will surely inspire him. Wim Koevermans would hope someone like Arindam emerges as India’s hero in Monday’s semi-final.