SAFF Championship: India eye 9th title; will Sunil Chhetri shine against Kuwait?
India were stretched to a penalty shootout by Lebanon in the SAFF Championship semifinals before winning 4-2, while Kuwait had to wait till extra time to eke out a 1-0 victory over Bangladesh.
FollowIndia, the defending champions, will aim to secure their ninth title when they face a formidable Kuwait in the SAFF Championship final in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The Indian team had a tough journey to the final, as they were taken to a penalty shootout by Lebanon in the semifinals, eventually winning 4-2. Similarly, Kuwait had to work hard for their victory, securing a 1-0 win over Bangladesh in extra time.
Interestingly, this will be the second encounter between India and Kuwait in the tournament, with their previous match ending in a contentious 1-1 draw during the Group A stage. With a passionate home crowd at the Kanteerava Stadium, India might have a slight advantage. However, concerns arise about their fatigue after enduring two grueling matches in succession.
Assistant coach Mahesh Gawli attempted to alleviate these concerns, expressing confidence in the team's ability to perform at their best in the final.
"I'd like to say that if you get one week, you can't do anything. But when you get one month or more you work more on fitness," said Gawli.
"I think we had almost 50 days. Our strength and conditioning coach, Luka Radman, has done a wonderful job. We have seen our players playing without injuries, and there have been no cramps as well."
Additionally, India will receive a boost with the return of key defender Sandesh Jhingan, who missed the semifinal against Lebanon due to accumulated yellow cards received against Pakistan and Kuwait. Anwar Ali deputized admirably in Jhingan's absence and played a crucial role in thwarting the Lebanese attacks.
Head coach Igor Stimac will unfortunately be absent from the Indian dugout for this match due to a two-match ban imposed by the SAFF disciplinary committee. Stimac had received his second red card of the tournament during the match against Kuwait, following an earlier dismissal in India's opening game against Pakistan.
Nonetheless, India, led by the talismanic Sunil Chhetri, have demonstrated a resilient spirit in overcoming challenges. Chhetri, who scored in three consecutive matches during the group stage, was unable to find the net in the semifinals against Lebanon, apart from converting a penalty in the shootout. The striker will be eager to make a more substantial contribution in the final.
India will also rely on the energy and support provided by Sahal Abdul Samad, Mahesh Singh, and Udanta Singh on the field, as they aim to deliver dangerous crosses to Chhetri.
In the semifinals, Mahesh, typically deployed as a winger, was positioned behind Chhetri to provide additional support to the captain. Gawli hinted at the continuation of this strategy in the final as well.
"We wanted him to play there (in wings) and feed the wingers and Sunil Chhetri. He was doing that. We kept Ashique (Kuruniyan) on the left because of the physicality, and he was doing well. He was running a lot. We did not want to change that," Gawli said.
However, India is well aware that Kuwait is a battle-hardened side, and nothing less than their best performance will suffice. The stage is set for an intense clash between these two teams vying for the SAFF Championship title.
