Sahal Abdul Samad buzzing with confidence after scoring his first goal for India in the SAFF Cup final

The 24-year-old midfielder ticked off three boxes on Sunday, as Sahal Abdul Samad played his first final, won his first trophy, and scored his first-ever goal for the Indian National Team, as India beat Nepal 3-0 in the 2021 SAFF Cup final.

As the match went into the last minute of regulation time, Pritam Kothal stopped Nepal's transition from defense to attack and started a counter-attack for India, he passed the ball to Rahim Ali who passed it to Sahal Abdul Samad on the left. Sahal takes a touch outside the box and controls the ball, and then moves inside, then cuts inside goes past one man, then another, and then lobs it over the goalkeeper to make the score three-nil. The goal was a touch of class and showed that the player is confident. There is one thing to score your first goal for the country, and then another to score a goal like that in a final for your country.

It was Sahal's first professional goal after 15th February 2019, a goal that was a long time coming, a goal that relieved him of a lot of things, a goal that made India proud, a goal that was magical in every sense, and a goal that you will remember for a long long time.The celebration by his teammates made it evident what the goal meant to him.

"I think it's a miracle. I really don't even know what I did inside the box but I scored. I was and I am emotional. I'll keep working hard. I thank God for this goal." said Sahal Abdul Samad on his wonder goal against Nepal. Sahal made his debut for India in a 3–1 loss against Curaçao in the 2019 King's Cup and had fourteen appearances to his name since then for the Blue Tigers.

This season under Ivan Vukomanovic, Sahal could see himself bloom, as he looks more determined than before to prove his doubters wrong. The attacking midfielder showed his class after scoring India's third goal against Nepal in the SAFF Cup final.

While speaking to his representatives at Inventive Sports, Wilbur Lasrado from Sahal's entourage, said: "It was a wonderful strike from the Sahal, a goal that will, without any shadow of a doubt, be considered as a brilliant strike in Indian Football for the years to come. Such a clinical finish. He spoke to me at 06:00 am via WhatsApp on the day of the final and said, if I get a chance to play, I will score, and he did that. For me this is special. It is a message that will forever be etched in my heart."

We hope that it was the first of many goals for Sahal for India, and he continues this form and confidence in the upcoming Indian Super League season. Kerala Blasters will play ATK Mohun Bagan in the first match of the ISL 2021-22 season on 19th November.