Football
SAFF Championship: India beats Lebanon, qualifies for the finals - Highlights
India beats Lebanon in the penalty shootout, qualifies for the second consecutive SAFF Championship finals.
FILE PHOTO: Sunil Chhetri in action against Lebanon in 2023. (Photo credit: AIFF)
Right from the start, Lebanon dominated the match, taking control of the game and quickly securing an early lead. They launched several attacks and came close to scoring twice within the first 10 minutes.
However, India managed to regain their composure and slowly regained momentum as the game progressed. After the initial fifteen minutes, India started to assert their attacking power, putting pressure on the Lebanese defense.
The game remained goalless after regulation time, forcing the match into extra time. Both teams had opportunities to score, but were unable to find the back of the net.
The match was ultimately decided by a penalty shootout. Sunil Chhetri set the tone by confidently converting India's first penalty, while Lebanon missed their opening shot. India continued their clinical performance from the spot, with Udanta Singh, Mahesh Naorem, and Anwar Ali all successfully converting their penalties.
Although Lebanon managed to convert two penalties after Gurpreet Sandhu saving the first, their hopes were dashed when Matar failed to score their fourth spot-kick. With this miss, India secured their victory and advanced to the finals of the SAFF Championship for the second consecutive time.
India will now face Kuwait in the finals of the SAFF Championship as they strive to defend the title.
As it happened:
Live Updates
- 1 July 2023 4:40 PM GMT
Three minutes added!
Lebanon has substituted in their senior goalkeeper for the potential penalty shootout.
- 1 July 2023 4:39 PM GMT
119' What a save!
Udanta and Chhangte combines outside the box, Udanta gaves a perfectly times ball to Chhangte who's present on the left side of the box. Chhangte takes a shot but the Lebanon keeper denies India.
- 1 July 2023 4:35 PM GMT
115' Udanta what was that!
Udanta sprints through the middle of the box all the way from own half into the Lebanon box, dances his way into the defence line and its intercepted in the end. Udanta tries to set up Chhangte as he goes down but no end product.
- 1 July 2023 4:30 PM GMT
111' Side net!
Mahesh makes a solo run through the right and tries to set up a low ball into the box but the power was too high and the ball ends up in the side net.
- 1 July 2023 4:25 PM GMT
107' Free kick for Lebanon!
A free kick is awarded to Lebanon after Anwar Ali commits a foul outside the box. It goes out and a throw in for India.
- 1 July 2023 4:20 PM GMT
107' Lebanon comes close!
Matar with a solo run into the box and shot, but the ball goes over the crossbar.
Still goalless.
