The gallery overflowed with anticipation, its vibrant atmosphere amplified by a striking yellow banner adorned with the empowering word 'Believe,' accompanied by a familiar sight of the legendary Sunil Chhetri, dubbed 'Immortal Number-11.' As the kick-off whistle resounded, a chorus of fervent chants reverberated through the air, proclaiming 'Sunil let's go,' 'India let's go,' rallying behind the Blue Tigers. In unison, the passionate supporters also lent their voices to the iconic anthem 'Ma Tujhe Salam,' composed by the musical maestro AR Rahman. The stadium was brimming with anticipation as the gripping encounter unfolded. Ultimately, India emerged triumphant, clinching the Bangabandhu SAFF Championship crown after an enthralling tiebreak, following a draw in regulation time and extra time.
On Tuesday, at the Sri Kantirava Stadium in Bangalore, India prevailed over Kuwait by a slim margin of 5-4 in the nail-biting tiebreaker.
Kuwait, led by Shabaib Al Khalidi, put up a valiant fight. Lallianjuala Changte managed to equalize the scoreline during the first half. With the game deadlocked at 1-1 after the full-time whistle, the fate of the match hinged on the outcome of extra time.
In the tiebreaker, Chhetri, Sandesh Jingan, Changte, and Subhashish Bose showcased their precision by finding the back of the net for India, securing crucial goals with their shots. However, Udant Singh's attempt went awry, sailing over the crossbar.
Kuwait's Mohammad Abdullah launched the first shot, only to see it reverberate against the crossbar. Subsequently, Fawaz Al Otabi, Ahmed Aldeferi, Abdul Aziz Mahran, and Al Khalidi successfully scored for Kuwait.
Then, in a decisive moment, India's Moni Singh seized the opportunity and scored a crucial goal. In contrast, Khaled Hajiah's shot rebounded off the goalkeeper's deft save, leading to jubilation among the Indian contingent as they celebrated their hard-fought victory.
India, already the record holders of the SAFF championship, raised their tally to a staggering nine titles, further solidifying their dominance in the tournament.
Having progressed to the final stage without suffering a defeat, Kuwait, the visiting team, experienced the bitter taste of defeat on the grandest stage itself. India leveled the statistics, with each team now having two victories against their name, along with one match ending in a draw in their previous encounters.
From the very beginning, the match was an intense battle of attacks and counter-attacks. Kuwait secured their spot in the final through a hard-fought victory against Bangladesh, with Shabaib Al Khalidi brilliantly converting a shot from a teammate during a counterattack in the 14th minute. This marked his second goal of the campaign, following his earlier goal in the 3-1 triumph over Nepal during the group stage.
India had a chance to equalize within the next minute when Sahal Abdul Samad unleashed a shot from outside the box, only to be denied by the agile Kuwaiti goalkeeper. Sunil Chhetri, the revered Indian forward, attempted a follow-up shot, but Abdul Rahman Marjuk, the Kuwaiti shot-stopper, thwarted his effort as well.
However, just before the conclusion of the first half, India managed to restore parity with Changte's well-placed strike at the far post, bringing solace to the camp of the record-holding champions.
The second half witnessed a closely contested battle, with Al Khalidi and Mohammad Abdullah repeatedly testing India's defense with their skillful maneuvers. Despite their efforts, neither team managed to find the elusive winning goal within the stipulated time, leading the game into extra time.
In the first half of extra time, Kuwait persisted in exerting pressure on the Indian defense. Al Khalidi made several incursions into the box from the right flank, but the resolute defense comprising Akash Mishra and Mehtab Singh proved impenetrable.
At the start of the second half, Fawaz Al Otabi's corner kick was valiantly blocked by the defense. In the 118th minute, Chang's shot soared over the crossbar, intensifying the suspense. With both teams unable to break the deadlock, the match headed towards a gripping tiebreaker, where India ultimately emerged triumphant, showcasing their mettle and nerve under pressure.
597.329 SRY