India clinched an impressive 4-0 victory over Pakistan in the opening match of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championships held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Star striker and skipper Sunil Chhetri stole the show by scoring a hat-trick, including two spot-kicks, while ex-Bengaluru FC winger Udanta Singh added another goal to hand India a memorable win.
The high-drama match between India and Pakistan saw both sides looking to gain an early advantage. However, it was India who took the lead after Sunil Chhetri converted a penalty in the 26th minute.
As the game progressed, India began to dominate, and in the 36th minute, Chhetri was once again fouled inside the box, allowing him to convert his second spot-kick of the game and extend India’s lead to 2-0.
Udanta Singh then added to India’s lead with a well-taken goal in the 41st minute, leaving Pakistan with a mountain to climb in the second half.
Pakistan tried to fight back and create scoring opportunities, but India’s defense remained resolute, and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was at his best, making crucial saves to keep Pakistan at bay.
In the 78th minute, Chhetri completed his hat-trick by scoring his third and India’s fourth goal of the match. With a comfortable lead, India played out the remaining minutes without any further threat from Pakistan.
Overall, it was an impressive performance from India, especially Sunil Chhetri, who proved to be the difference between the two sides.
With this resounding victory, India will be looking to carry on their momentum into their upcoming matches and make their mark in the SAFF Championships.
