India vs Lebanon: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu PENALTY heroics guides Blue Tigers to SAFF Championship Final

India vs Lebanon: At the SAFF Championship 2023 semifinal on Saturday night at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore, India defeated Lebanon 4-2 in the penalty shootout. India’s goals came from Sunil Chhetri, Mahesh Singh, Anwar Ali, and Udanta Singh, while keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu saved penalties from Khalil Bader and Lebanon’s captain Hassan Maatouk.In the final, which will take place on Tuesday, India will now face off against Kuwait.

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Gurpreet saved the first Lebanon penalty by Maatouk, giving the Indian penalty takers the confidence to put their spot-kicks into the back of the net. Chhetri, Anwar, Mahesh and Udanta converted their first four penalties for India, while Walid Shour and Mohamad Sadek netted their kicks for Lebanon. Khalil Bader sent the fourth and last penalty for Lebanon into the stands, sending India into the final.

Lebanon and India faced each other twice last month in the Hero Intercontinental Cup, with the latter keeping two clean sheets and winning one tie. The Cedars started the SAFF Championship semi-final with a lot of impetus, looking to break their duck against an Indian defence that was without experienced centre-back Sandesh Jhingan, who was suspended, having picked up two bookings in the group stage. Mehtab Singh came in as the replacement for the 29-year-old.

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Also missing for India, were striker Rahim Ali, and head coach Igor Stimac, both of whom had been sent off in their last match against Kuwait.

Nader Matar had the opportunity to put Lebanon in the lead in the first minute itself, after being played into the six-yard box. His volley, however, lacked any semblance of control, and flew off into the Bengaluru night.

Zain Al Abidine Farran had another chance in the opening exchanges, but India keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu stood in Lebanon’s way this time.

Weathering the early storm, India looked to change the tempo of the game, as they tried to keep the ball and slow down the pace. Mehtab picked up an early booking, as he tried to keep Hassan Maatouk out.

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

That began to yield results for India, as Lebanon were no more able to build up from the back, and the Blue Tigers began to get a few turnovers in the opposition half. Anirudh Thapa was the benefactor of this shift in strategy, as Jeakson’s deep role allowed him the freedom in the middle of the park to show his creativity.

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

Minutes later, Sahal Abdul Samad earned a free-kick in the opposition third, and Thapa sent in another peach of a delivery that Subhasish managed to get a head on, but the effort went wide.

Thapa threaded yet another through ball to Lallianzuala Chhangte minutes after the half-hour mark, but the latter’s half volley went over.

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India, however, slowly began to claw their way back, and Rohit initiated a brilliant counter attack that saw Udanta enter the Lebanon box. He sold a couple of stepovers, before running out of real estate, as Khalil came off his line to smother the ball.

Lebanon, anticipating the impending penalty shootout, brought on substitute goalkeeper Ali Sabeh in place of Mehdi Khalil in injury time of 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 turned out to be the hero of the penalty shootout for India, as he saved the first Lebanon penalty by Maatouk, giving the Indian penalty takers the confidence to put their spot-kicks into the back of the net. Chhetri, Anwar, Mahesh and Udanta converted their penalties for India, while Walid Shour and Mohamad Sadek netted their kicks for Lebanon. Khalil Bader sent the fourth and last penalty for Lebanon into the stands, sending India into the final.

India XI:

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Subhashis Bose, Anwar Ali, Mehtab Singh, Pritam Kotal, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Jeakson Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Ashique Kuruniyan, Sunil Chhetri.