India through to the Final after defeating Lebanon on penalties
INDIA DEFEATED LEBANON ON PENALTIES IN THE SECOND SEMI-FINAL OF THE SAFF CHAMPIONSHIP 2023 ON SATURDAY AT THE SREE KANTEERAVA STADIUM.
THE MATCH ENDED 0-0 IN REGULATION TIME BUT GURPREET SAVED TWO PENALTIES IN THE PENALTY SHOOTOUT TO CLINCH THE VICTORY FOR INDIA.
THE LEBANESE PLAYERS THREATENED THE BACKLINE OF INDIA BUT GURPREET KEPT THEMSELVES ALIVE BY MAKING A FEW EXTRAORDINARY SAVES
INDIA KEPT MOST OF THE POSSESSION BUT FAILED TO SCORE ANY GOAL. LEBANON ALSO TRIED TO PENETRATE THE BACKLINE OF INDIA BUT THE DEFENCE REMAINED COMPACT AND STRONG
LEBANON TRIED THEIR BEST TO BEAT THE BACKLINE AND THEY DID IT A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT GURPREET STOOD TALL LIKE A WALL.
CHHANGTE AND MAHESH PROVIDED SOME BRILLIANT BALLS IN THE CENTRE TO SUNIL CHHETRI BUT LEBANESE PLAYERS DID NOT GIVE HIM SPACE TO DO ANYTHING FROM IT. THE SECOND HALF ALSO ENDED WITH A 0-0
SUNIL CHHETRI GOT A CLEAR OPPORTUNITY BUT WASTED IT OTHERWISE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. LEBANON DIDN’T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ANY CLEAR-CUT OPPORTUNITIES.
THE MATCH WENT INTO THE PENALTIES. SUNIL CHHETRI GAVE THE LEAD AND THEN GURPREET MADE A BRILLIANT SAVE TO DENY MAATOUK.