Bengaluru:The Indian Men’s senior football team started their SAFF Championship with a 4-0 win over arch rivals Pakistan. Sunil Chhetri put an early brace for the first half and scored another in the second half to bring his fourth international hat-trick.
Sunil Chhetri joined Puran Bahadur and IM Vijayan who have scored a hat-trick against Pakistan as well. Coming from the bench, Udanta Singh finished the job with the fourth goal of the game. The Blue Tigers had a memorable night at the Shree Kanteerava Stadium after almost six years.
Pakistan custodian Saqib Hanif had looked shaky from the start. Taking the advantage, Sunil Chhetri capitalised in the 10th minute. The captain pressed high and took advantage of a mistake by the keeper to slide the ball into an empty net.
Only five minutes later, Sahal Abdul Samad displayed fast feet to avoid a few of tackles supplying to Anirudh Thapa. Thapa’s shot hit the hand of a Pakistan defender. Sunil Chhetri dispatched the following India penalty with ease.
Even with a two-goal advantage, India kept up the pressure. Chhangte’s left-footed turn effort saved before Sahal struck the side netting. Sunil Chhetri, standing over a free-kick well outside the box, fired it over the wall but just wide of the near post.
Chhetri said after the match: “ We are very happy to start the tournament on a winning note. A game in these rainy conditions is not easy, so I’m really happy, majorly because we kept a clean sheet, and also because so many fans turned up to support us today.”
Less than 72 hours after a high-octane final victory in the Hero Intercontinental Cup in Bhubaneswar, India were off to a lightning-quick start in Bengaluru.
Muhammad Sufyan shoved Chhetri into the box in the 73rd minute. India was awarded another penalty kick, which Chhetri slammed into the top-left corner. Sunil Chhetri scored his 90th international goal, sending the Bengaluru fans wild.
Udanta, the skipper’s former Bengaluru teammate, also contributed to India’s fourth goal in the 81st minute. Anwar Ali’s wonderful pass over the top put the winger clean through on goal, and he calmly tapped it in with just the keeper to beat.
India will take on Nepal in their second Group A match on Saturday, June 24 at 7:30 pm IST.
In the first game of the SAFF Championship 2023 , Kuwait defeated Nepal 3-1 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The Middle East nation, being invited from outside the region displayed a domination. Keeping the pressure with continuous attacks on Nepal, Kuwait conceded one in the final third. Khaled Hajiah, Shabaib Alkhaldi and Mohammad Abdullah scored each for Kuwait. Anjan Bista scored the only one for Nepal.
