SAFF Championship: 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. The match ended 0-0 in regulation time but Gurpreet saved two penalties in the penalty shootout to clinch the victory for India.

Read Also: SAFF Championship 2023: Kuwait vs Bangladesh Live Blog, News, Live Updates & Match Report

SAFF Championship: India vs Lebanon Match Report

First Half:

Lebanon came as a completely different side as they were in the Intercontinental Cup. 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. The first half ended with a 0-0 scoreline.

Second Half:

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 scoreline as the match went to extra time.

Extra Time:

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 for themselves but they held their positions against the Indian attackers and didn't concede a single goal. The match went into the penalties.

Sunil Chhetri gave the lead and then Gurpreet made a brilliant save to deny Maatouk. India didn't hesitate and missed any while Bader missed another one which confirmed India's qualification in the Final of the SAFF Championship 2023 against Kuwait.

"This is the best game we played. India pushed us to do our best. Not the result we wanted. But, that was a great game," Lebanon coach said after the match.

SAFF Championship: India vs Lebanon Live Blog | Lineups | 7:00 P.M.

India:

• GURPREET SINGH SANDHU
• SUNIL CHHETRI
• SUBHASISH BOSE
• ANWAR ALI
• ANIRUDH THAPA
• SAHAL ABDUL SAMAD
• JEAKSON SINGH THOUNAOJAM
• LALLIANZUALA CHHANGTE
• MEHTAB SINGH
• PRITAM KOTAL
• MUHAMMED KURUNIYAN

Lebanon:

• MEHDI KHALIL
• HASSAN MAATOUK
• MAHDI ZEIN
• HUSSEIN ZEIN
• ALI MARKABAWI
• HASAN SROUR
• GEORGE FELIX MELKI
• NADER MATAR
• MOUHAMMED ALI DHAINI
• WALID SHOUR
• ZEIN AL ABIDINE FARRAN

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 7:28 P.M.

The players are out of the tunnel. The match is all set to start.

SAFF Championship: India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 1' | 7:30 P.M. | Kick off

The second Semi-Final begins.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 1' | Early chance for Lebanon

Lebanon starts on the offensive! Maatouk starts the attack and passes to his right to Zein Farran, who then crosses to the centre for Nader Matar. Matar shoots it high over the net.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 6' | Kotal survived

Kotal tried to snatch the ball from Matar and fouled him but the referee didn't show him the card.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 8' | Gurpreet, the hero for India

Farran had a chance to get the lead for Lebanon but Gurpreet came up as the saviour.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 9' | Yellow Card

Mehtab Singh received the first yellow.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 11' | A great run from Chhangte

Chhangte tries a cross that lands in the gloves of Mehdi Khalil, the Lebanon goalkeeper.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 19'

India starts an attack. Jeakson provided a ball to Sahal But Lebanon's Ali Dhanini intercepted to deny a certain goal to the Blue Tigers.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 20' | Another chance for India

Thapa tries to set up Kotal in the box with an excellent cross from the centre. Kotal's header was off-target.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 26' | Foul

Zein fouls Chhangte as India gets another free-kick in the midfield. Kotal takes the free-kick which is headed away by the Lebanese players.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 27' | Yellow Card

Ali Markabawi received the yellow card.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 29' | Anwar went for a long ranger

Anwar Ali tries to shoot from a distance from the midfield but Khalil takes control of the ball.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 34' | Sandhu has the safe hands

Maatouk takes another free-kick but Sandhu makes a comfortable save to keep the score locked at 0-0.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 40' | Free Kick for India

Chhangte delivers a low cross for Chhetri in the centre of the box. Lebanon made the clearance.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 43' | Sandhu came up with another save

The Lebanon captain's curler moves in but Sandhu makes a crucial save to deny a certain goal here.

Indian defender Sandesh Jhingan watching the game with his wife!

He missed the match due to card in the last game!#IndianFootball #INDLEB #SAFFChampionship2023 #saff2023 pic.twitter.com/s4l5ciAyde

— Sportz Point (
@Sportz Point
) July 1, 2023

SAFF Championship 2023: India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 45' | Half-time | 0-0

Gurpreet Sandhu's crucial goalkeeping has denied Lebanon two certain goals. The score is 0-0 at the half-way mark.

Air Gurpreet ✈️#LBNIND ⚔️ #SAFFChampionship2023 🏆 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/ODoqIZcoIs

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) July 1, 2023

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 46' | Second Half | Kick off

The second half begins.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 49'

Mehtab tried to find Chhangte but Khalil collected the ball comfortably.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 54' | Substitution

In: Karim Darwich, Out: Ali Markabawi

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 59' | Substitution

In: Nikhil Poojary, Out: Pritam

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 61' | Another save by Sandhu

Sandhu makes another save to remain unbeaten between the sticks.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 65' | Set piece opportunity for India

Chhangte delivers a cross from the right for Chhetri but he struck it over the crossbar.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 72' | Chance for India

Anwar provides a through ball to Ashique. He combines with Sahal and then Ashique delivered a ball for Chhhetri in the centre but George Melki intercepts to clear it away.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 74' | Tripple Change for India

• Out: Anirudh Thapa, Subhasish Bose, Sahal Abdul Samad
•  In: Rohit Kumar, Akash Mishra, Mahesh Singh

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 83' | Chance for Lebanon

Farran gets the ball and makes a run along the left flank, and passes for Maatouk who goes for the goal. The shot was not in the target.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 87'

The shot from Anwar went off the bar for India.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 90' | Change for India

In: Udanta Singh, Out: Ashique Kuruniyan

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 90+6' | Yellow Card

Karim Darwich fouls Chhangte with a rash challenge

SAFF Championship 2023: India (0) vs Lebanon (0) Live Blog | Full-time

An extra 30 minutes to be played not to find the winner and if that fails to serve the purpose, we'll get into a penalty shootout.

SAFF Championship 2023: Extra Time | 93' |India 0-0 Lebanon

A brilliant shot from Sunil Chhetri. It goes over the bar.

SAFF Championship 2023: Extra Time | 95' |India 0-0 Lebanon

Sunil tries a volley from the middle of the box. A cross from Udanta and Sunil had the chance for India to make it 1-0. The Indian fans chant Sunil..Sunil

SAFF Championship 2023: Chhangte misses out | 99' | India 0-0 Lebanon

Chhangte misses out on a genuine chance. Another great cross from Udanta and Chhangte could not hold the ball properly. India keeps on attacking.

SAFF Championship 2023: Udanta misses another chance | 101' | India 0-0 Lebanon

Another genuine chance for India. Udanta miscues an easy header from the middle of the box. He heads it down the wrong line.

SAFF Championship 2023: End of first half | Extra Time | India 0-0 Lebanon

India had their chances and moments. But, could not convert them into goals. India should have been 1-0 up by now.

SAFF Championship 2023: 107' | Free-kick for Lebanon | India 0-0 Lebanon

Captain Maatouk takes the free kick and sends it his teammates.

SAFF Championship 2023: 108 | Khalil Bader takes the chance | India 0-0 Lebanon

Khalil Bader takes the chance and nearly sends it into the nets. Gurpreet could have not done anything if it had gone into the goal.

SAFF Championship 2023: 109' | Anwar Ali saves India | India 0-0 Lebanon

A cross from Maatouk was about to find one of his teammates. But, it is Anwar Ali who blocks it out in the box.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 112' | Side-netting by Mahesh

Mahesh gets a through ball from Rohit Kumar. He then tries to cross for Chhetri but it got intercepted and ends in the side net.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 118' | Lebanon pushing with numbers

India still managing to get the ball out of its box.

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 120' | Chhangte and Chhetri on a move

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | 120' | End of extra time

The match gets into the penalty shootout

India vs Lebanon Live Blog | Penalty shootout

India will take the first kick.

Sunil Chhetri strikes. 1-0 India
Gurpreet saved it. 1-0 India
Anwar Ali scores for India. India 2-0
Walid Shour scores. India 2-1 Lebanon
Mahesh Singh scores for India. India 3-1 Lebanon
Sadek scores for Lebanon. India 3-2 Lebanon
Udanta steps up for India and scores. India 4-2 Lebanon
Bader misses for Lebanon. India 4-2 Lebanon

India through to the SAFF Championship final.

SAFF Championship 2023: India vs Lebanon Live Blog | Final score 0-0 | India won 4-2 on penalties

India defeated Lebanon 4-2 on penalties and makes their way into consecutive SAFF Championship finals.

"It wasn't easy. We're gonna go back and rest well. They are not easy to play against. It went into penalties and we are so happy that we kept our focus and won the match. We are not thinking of the final. We are just going to go back and recuperate and then think about the final," Sunil Chhetri said after the match.

"It's great for us. The work that we are doing for the last few weeks is showing now, ensuring a clean sheet for 120 minutes and then keeping our composure to keep our shots on target to go on and win," Gurpreet Singh Sandhu said after the match.