SAFF Championship: India set to face Lebanon in semi without Igor Stimac and Sandesh Jhingan

Indian national football team is gearing up to face Lebanon in the semi-finals of the SAFF Championship but will be without their head coach Igor Stimac and defender Sandesh Jhingan. The match is scheduled to take place on July 1st at 7:30 PM at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore.

The path to the semi-finals hasn't been easy for the Indian team, as their last group game against Kuwait witnessed several heated moments resulting in multiple red cards as Indian coach Igor Stimac, forward Rahim Ali, and Kuwait's Al Khalaf were all sent off by the referee.

The turning point came in the second half when Stimac, already cautioned with a yellow card, was sent off for being aggressive on the sidelines. Consequently, Stimac has been asked to provide a written explanation of his actions by today evening.

The SAFF disciplinary committee will review Stimac's response and make a decision regarding his potential suspension for the final, should India qualify. However, it is confirmed that Stimac will miss the semi-final clash against Lebanon due to the red card.

Adding to India's woes, they will also be without their defensive leader Sandesh Jhingan in the upcoming match. Jhingan has accumulated two yellow cards throughout the tournament, triggering an automatic suspension for the semi-finals.

Despite these setbacks, the Indian team remains hopeful and determined to put up a strong performance against Lebanon. It is worth mentioning that India emerged victorious over Lebanon earlier this month in the finals of the Hero Intercontinental Cup.

The absence of their head coach and a key defender will undoubtedly pose challenges for the Indian team, but they are expected to regroup under the guidance of assistant coach Mahesh Gawli and step up their game in their quest for a spot in the SAFF Championship final to defend their title.