SAFF Championships: Skipper Sunil Chhetri scores double, India beat hosts Maldives to set-up finals date with Nepal

SAFF Championships – India beat Maldives 3-1: Skipper Sunil Chhetri scores brace as India beat hosts Maldives, enters finals to face Nepal- India defeated the hosts Maldives 3-1 to enter the finals of the SAFF Championships. Ever dependable Sunil Chhetri once again had to produce the goods for India. Chhetri scored a brace as 10-man India overcame a stiff challenge from the defending champions and set up Saturday’s final against Nepal.

Chhetri took his goals tally to 79 from 124 appearances in international football to grab joint-sixth position on the all-time list with Zambia’s Godfrey Chitalu, who also has the same number of goals from 111 matches.

SAFF Championships: Skipper Sunil Chhetri scores brace as India beat hosts Maldives, enters finals to face Nepal

SAFF Championships – India beat Maldives 3-1: India took the lead in the 33rd minute as Manvir Singh put the Blue Tigers in front. However, his goal was canceled in the 45th minute as Maldives’ Ali Ashfaq converted a penalty to equalize for the hosts. It was Sunil Chhetri who regained the lead in the 62nd minute to make the score 2-1. He put the game to bed by scoring another goal and doubling India’s advantage just 9 minutes later in the 71st minute. India will now face Nepal.

SAFF Championships: Skipper Sunil Chhetri scores brace as India beat hosts Maldives, enters finals to face Nepal

1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ Internationals 😯
7️⃣9️⃣ Goals 😱@chetrisunil11 becomes the joint 6th highest goalscorer in the world! 🤩#INDMDV ⚔️ #SAFFChampionship2021 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/Tg4UCTPAAE

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 13, 2021

India beat Maldives 3-1: On Sunday after India’s talisman Sunil Chettri scored an 82nd-minute winner versus Nepal, India took a sigh of relief avoiding a 3^rd consecutive draw at the SAFF championships which would have been nothing short of humiliating for the nation, after the win India moved to 3^rd in the points table with 5 points and only 1 point off the top of the table Maldives.

Skipper Sunil Chhetri scores brace as India beat hosts Maldives, enters finals to face Nepal

India will now face Nepal in the finals on 16th October at 8.30 PM.

SAFF Championships – India beat Maldives 3-1: Skipper Sunil Chhetri scores brace as India beat hosts Maldives, enters finals to face Nepal