Highlights IND vs LBN, SAFF C’ship 2023: Chhetri and Co win 4-2 on penalties, decisive duel with Kuwait

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IND vs LBN, SAFF C’ship 2023: Sunil Chhetri and Co win 4-2 on penalties, set final showdown against Kuwait. The Indian senior men’s team will face Lebanon for the third time in just over two weeks in the semi-finals of the 2023 Bangabandhu SAFF Championship, at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.

AS IT HAPPENED | India vs Lebanon SAFF Championship 2023

Bangalore: India defeated Lebanon 4-2 on penalties after finishing goalless after extra time, in the SAFF Championship semi-finals at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, July 1, 2023, to reserve their spot in the top battle of the competition .

The Blue Tigers will have a chance to defend their SAFF Championship title against Kuwait at Sree Kanteerava Stadium on July 4, after heroics by Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu helped India enter the SAFF Championships final.

Gurpreet saved the first Lebanese penalty from Maatouk, giving the Indian penalty takers the confidence to shoot their penalties into the back of the net. Chhetri, Anwar, Mahesh and Udanta converted their first four penalties for India, while Walid Shour and Mohamad Sadek scored their kicks for Lebanon. Khalil Bader sent the fourth and final penalty for Lebanon into the stands to send India to the final.

Lebanon and India faced each other twice in the Hero Intercontinental Cup last month, with the latter keeping two clean sheets and winning one draw. The Cedars started the SAFF Championship semi-final with great enthusiasm, trying to break their duck against an Indian defense lacking experienced center back Sandesh Jhingan, who was suspended after two group stage bookings. Mehtab Singh came in as a replacement for the 29-year-old.

Also missing were India striker Rahim Ali and head coach Igor Stimac, who were both sent off in their last game against Kuwait.

Nader Matar himself had the chance to give Lebanon the lead in the first minute, after he had played in the sixteen-meter area. However, his salvo lacked any semblance of control and flew into the Bengaluru night.

Zain Al Abidine Farran got another chance in the first exchanges, but this time Indian keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu got in Lebanon’s way.

India weathered the early storm and tried to change the pace of the game as they tried to hold onto the ball and slow down the pace. Mehtab got an early booking while trying to keep Hassan Maatouk out.

The Blue Tigers soon changed their system, pushing Jeakson Singh back between the two centre-backs while in possession. More importantly, it was when they ran out of possession that they really tightened the screws on Lebanon and pushed in high with captain Sunil Chhetri leading from the front.

That started to pay off for India, as Lebanon were unable to build up from behind, and the Blue Tigers started to score a few times in their opponent’s half. Anirudh Thapa was the benefactor of this shift in strategy as Jeakson’s deep role gave him the freedom to show his creativity in the middle of the park.

Thapa, receiving a pass from Subhasish Bose on the left flank, fired in a cross at the far post, where a charging Pritam Kotal nodded the ball into the side netting.

Minutes later, Abdul Sahal Samad earned a free-kick in the opposition’s third position, and Thapa sent another peach off a pitch that Subhash managed to score head-on, but the effort went wide.

Minutes after the half hour, Thapa fired another through ball to Lallianzuala Chhangte, but his half-volley went over.

With the half-time whistle looming, Chhangte managed to lose his marker on the right and sent in a low cross at the near post, but Lebanese goalkeeper Mehdi Khalil was on hand to catch it.

Gurpreet was called into action for the first time after the opening substitutions just minutes before the break when he denied Maatouk another chance to put Lebanon ahead.

India really had the momentum after the change of halves as they started the second half with a good pace. However, Lebanon defended resolutely, denying the hosts clear chances in their penalty area.

India’s assistant coach Mahesh Gawali, who replaced Stimac on the touchline, made his first change in the game by the hour mark, bringing in Nikhil Poojary in place of Kotal.

The majority of the second half proved to be a more subdued affair as both sides struggled to get their efforts on target. Chhangte had a crack for India, while Farran tried his luck for Lebanon. Both attempts were unsuccessful.

With just over 15 minutes of regular time remaining, Gawali introduced three more players into the fray bringing in Rohit Kumar, Mahesh Naorem and Akash Mishra to replace Thapa, Sahal and Subhasish respectively.

Jeakson continued to play a key role as a shield for the back line, and with 10 minutes left he made a vital interception and played Mishra on the left. The fullback charged forward and shot through to Ashique, who sent a searching cross to Chhetri at the far post, but he evaded the India captain.

India came closest to taking the lead with three minutes of regulation time remaining when a dangerous corner from Mahesh Naorem hit Zain on the head and the ball then bounced into the woodwork. Udanta Singh soon replaced Ashique Kuruniyan in stoppage time, before the referee blew the long whistle, meaning the two teams would have another half hour to decide the matter.

It was time to dig deep, and 38-year-old Sunil Chhetri dug deep indeed, as he made his way into the Lebanon box at the start of extra time, but Lebanon keeper Khalil was on hand to keep him out. The India captain fired over the bar on a Udanta cross minutes later; the scores were still undisturbed.

The tide turned in the second half of extra time, when Lebanon took on India. Substitute Khalil Bader shot wide with a long-range shot. Maatouk also got into a dangerous position due to a cross from the right, but Mehtab Singh was ready to clear it.

However, India slowly began to claw back and Rohit mounted a brilliant counter-attack with Udanta entering the Lebanon box. He sold a few stepovers before running out of real estate when Lebanon keeper Khalil came off his line to smother the ball.

Lebanon, anticipating the approaching penalty shootout, brought in substitute Ali Sabeh in place of Mehdi Khalil in stoppage time or extra time. The two teams soon ran out of time, as the referee blew his whistle, sending the match into the dreaded penalty shootout.

Gurpreet proved to be the penalty shootout hero for India as he saved the first Lebanese penalty from Maatouk, giving the Indian penalty takers the confidence to shoot their penalties into the back of the net. Chhetri, Anwar, Mahesh and Udanta converted their penalties for India, while Walid Shour and Mohamad Sadek scored their penalties for Lebanon. Khalil Bader sent the fourth and final penalty for Lebanon into the stands to send India to the final.

IndiaXI: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Subhasish Bose (Akash Mishra 74′), Anwar Ali, Mehtab Singh, Pritam Kotal (Nikhil Poojary 57′); Jeakson Singh, Anirudh Thapa (Rohit Kumar 74′), Sahal Abdul Samad (Mahesh Naorem 74′); Muhammed Ashique Kuruniyan (Udanta Singh 90+1′), Lallianzuala Chhangte, Sunil Chhetri.