Defending Champions India defeated Lebanon 4-2 on penalties after the match ended goalless post extra time, in the semi-final of the SAFF Championship at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.
India will thus face Kuwait in final at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on July 4.
This was India’s second straight win over Lebanon, having beaten them 2-0 in the final of the Intercontinental Cup 2023 last month.
En route to the SAFF Championship final, India drew 1-1 with Kuwait in the final Group A clash after beating Pakistan 4-0 in their opening encounter.
India captain Sunil Chhetri, who was kept silent for most of the match by the Lebanon defenders, had two golden opportunities to put the hosts in front minutes into the first half of the extra time.
Gurpreet Singh saved the first Lebanon penalty by Maatouk, while Chhetri, Anwar, Mahesh and Udanta converted their penalties for India, Walid Shour and Mohamad Sadek converted their kicks for Lebanon. Khalil Bader sent the fourth and last penalty for Lebanon into the stands, as India won the match comfortably.
India XI: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Subhasish Bose (Akash Mishra 74’), Anwar Ali, Mehtab Singh, Pritam Kotal (Nikhil Poojary 57’); Jeakson Singh, Anirudh Thapa (Rohit Kumar 74’), Sahal Abdul Samad (Mahesh Naorem 74’); Muhammed Ashique Kuruniyan (Udanta Singh 90+1’), Lallianzuala Chhangte, Sunil Chhetri.
Picture Courtesy: AIFF Media
