Bengaluru: India won the SAFF Championship 2023 in Bengaluru on Tuesday, defeating Kuwait 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the match was tied 1-1 after regulation time and extra time. This was India’s ninth SAFF Championship title, extending their record in the tournament. Excited fans began to recite Vande Matram at Sree Kanterava Stadium.
The match was a closely contested affair, with both teams creating chances. Kuwait took the lead in the 14th minute through Shabaib Al Khaldi, but India equalized through Lallianzuala Chhangte in the 39th minute. Neither team was able to score a winner in the remaining regulation time or extra time, so the match went to penalties.
In the penalty shootout, India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made two saves to help his team win. Sandhu saved the first penalty from Khaled Hajiah, and then he saved the decisive penalty from Fahad Al Rashidi in sudden death.
The victory was a major boost for Indian football, and it came at a time when the team is looking to improve their FIFA ranking. India is currently ranked 100th in the world, and they are hoping to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The SAFF Championship is a regional football tournament for South Asian countries. It is the most successful tournament in India’s football history, and the team has won it nine times. The other eight teams that have won the SAFF Championship are Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Afghanistan.
The 2023 SAFF Championship was a great success for India, and it is a sign that the team is on the right track. India’s captain, Sunil Chhetri, was the tournament’s top scorer with 8 goals. Chhetri also won the Golden Ball award for the best player of the tournament. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was named the Golden Glove award winner for the best goalkeeper of the tournament. The match was attended by a crowd of over 30,000 people at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
The victory of India in the SAFF Championship 2023 is a major boost for Indian football. It is a sign that the team is on the right track, and it gives them hope of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.