SAFF Championships: Sunil Chhetri led from the front once again as India defeated Nepal 3-0 to win a record-extending 8th title. Coach Igor Stimac won his first trophy with the senior national team after taking over in 2019.
Chhetri, Suresh and Sahal scored for India as they defeated Nepal 3-0 on Saturday (Photo Courtesy: Indian Football Team Twitter)
HIGHLIGHTSSunil Chhetri top scored with goals as India won SAFF Championships 2021 in MaldivesChhetri, Suresh and Sahal scored for India as they defeated Nepal 3-0 on SaturdayThis was also coach Igor Stimac’s first trophy with the senior national team
Sunil Chhetri led from the front once again as India overcame an ordinary first-half to defeat Nepal 3-0 in the final and win the SAFF Championships for a record-extending 8th time. Goals from Chhetri, Suresh Singh Wangjam and Sahal Abdul Samad gave the Blue Tigers a convincing victory at the National Stadium in Male, Maldives.
Head coach Igor Stimac was not on the sidelines due to a suspension but he will breathe easy after winning his first trophy with the Indian team. Stimac, who took charge of India’s senior national team in 2019, also became the sixth coach to win the SAFF Championships title and third foreigner after Jiri Pesek (1993) and Stephen Constantine (2015).
Sunil Chhetri, who probably played his last SAFF Championship match on Saturday, delivered the goods as he inspired the team that lacked decisiveness in the final third in the first half. It took only 4 minutes in the second half for the legend to put India 1-0 ahead.
Suresh Singh doubled the lead soon after following which India kept creating chances. It all paid off as Sahal, who came on from the bench, put the match to the bed with a stoppage-time strike.
“It feels good to come here as the dominant side and win. It was not easy but I am happy that a lot of youngsters came good,” said Chhetri after the victorious run in Male.
Sunil Chhetri ended the SAFF Championships 2021 with the most number of goals — 5, including the brace that he scored against hosts Maldives in a crunch group-stage encounter earlier this week.
FULL-TIME
C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S.
3-0
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— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 16, 2021
India drew against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in their first two matches which had put them in danger of missing the final but the win against Nepal in the group stages brought them back into the tournament after which they hammered the Maldives.
Nonetheless, Nepal will leave the Maldives with their heads held high as the side ranked 61 places below India at 168th reached their first final and gave a good account of themselves in the first half of the big final.
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