The Indian senior men’s team kicked off their SAFF Championship title defence with a 4-0 victory over Pakistan in Group A on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Sunil Chhetri netted an early brace before adding another after the break for his fourth international hat-trick, thereby taking his tally to 90 goals. Substitute Udanta Singh then finished the job with the fourth goal late on to sum up a memorable night for the Blue Tigers on their return to Bengaluru after almost six years.
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This was India’s one of biggest victories against Pakistan. In the 1999 SAF Games India defeated their rivals from across the border 5-2 with IM Vijayan scoring a hat-trick. Chhetri is the third Indian to find a hat-trick against Pakistan after Puran Bahadur and IM Vijayan.
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.
Pakistan goalkeeper Saqib Hanif had looked shaky right from the beginning and Chhetri took full advantage in the 10th minute. The skipper pressed high and capitalised on a mis-control from the custodian to slot the ball into an empty net.
SAFF Championship 2023 LIVE Streaming to be available on Fancode
In the 73rd minute, Chhetri was pushed in the box by Muhammad Sufyan, earning another spot-kick for himself, which he sent straight into the top-left corner to score his 90th international goal and send the Bengaluru crowd into raptures.
The skipper’s former Bengaluru teammate Udanta also got in on the act, scoring India’s fourth goal in the 81st minute. Anwar Ali sent the winger clean through on goal with a fine ball over the top, and he calmly slotted it in with only the keeper to beat.
India will take on Nepal in their second Group A match on Saturday, June 24 at 7:30 pm IST.
India XI: Amrinder Singh (GK), Pritam Kotal (Nikhil Poojary 65′), Sandesh Jhingan, Anwar Ali, Subhasish Bose, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Anirudh Thapa (Rohit Kumar 65′), Sahal Abdul Samad, Ashique Kuruniyan (Udanta Singh 74′), Sunil Chhetri (C) (Liston Colaco 86′), Lallianzuala Chhangte (Naorem Mahesh Singh 74′).
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