India found itself immersed in tumultuous waters throughout the preceding four days. Over 240 grueling minutes of physical football played against two formidable teams, Kuwait and Lebanon, both matches requiring penalty shootouts to determine the victor.
And then emerged Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
With the SAFF Championship at stake, the goalkeeper for Bengaluru FC, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, correctly anticipated the Kuwait captain Khaled Hajiah's penalty kick, diving swiftly to his left and thwarting the attempt. For the second time in four days, he secured a penalty shootout victory for India, securing their second trophy in a fortnight.
While celebrating against Lebanon, Sandhu maintained a subdued demeanor. However, during the encounter with Kuwait, he was acknowledged by a multitude of Indian players who rushed to embrace him. Sandhu's contributions served as the proverbial cherry on top of the already commendable performance by the Indian football team in recent weeks.
To put things into perspective, they played a total of nine matches, conceding a mere two goals while scoring thirteen, resulting in the acquisition of two prestigious trophies. Beyond the tangible results, their gameplay has surpassed expectations over the past few years. India has elevated its football prowess, adopting an offensive style, dominating the midfield, and employing a disciplined defense.
This was achieved despite Kuwait's relentless attempts to employ unscrupulous tactics in the final match, disrupting the rhythm of this reinvigorated Indian team at every opportunity.
Kuwait's strategic approach for the final became apparent within the first ten minutes. In their prior encounter during the group stage, India had successfully dominated the midfield battle. However, the visitors arrived prepared this time, implementing a higher defensive line that significantly reduced the gap between their backline and the farthest player on the pitch. Consequently, the midfield became congested, favoring the team with superior technical abilities.
This defensive setup also allowed Kuwait's wide players to stretch their legs and outpace the Indian flanks. In a mere fourteen minutes, the Indian goal was breached.
During their final training session, India's coach, Igor Stimac, emphasized to the players, "If we lose the ball, within three seconds, everyone must be behind it." This ethos is crucial for the Indian team to build upon, yet it still requires further development. Insufficient numbers from the midfield tracked back when Kuwait swiftly launched a counter-offensive into the Indian half. Mubarak Al Faneni controlled the ball and awaited the overlapping run from right-back Abdullah Buloushi—an opportunity that should have been intercepted by Ashique Kuruniyan. However, Buloushi proceeded into the box, received the ball, and then squared it to Shabib Al Khaldi, who effortlessly side-footed it into the net for a simple finish.
India swiftly responded, with a long ball being deftly controlled by right-winger Lallianzuala Chhangte. The ball was then struck towards the goal with his left foot by Sunil Chhetri. The Kuwaiti goalkeeper fumbled the shot, almost allowing Chhangte to score on the counter-attack.
In the 38th minute, India, still striving to regain control of the midfield, produced a beautifully executed goal—yet another example of the well-crafted plays demonstrated throughout the tournament.
It all began with a loose ball that Kuruniyan had drifted out to the left side of the Kuwait box. His dribbling style could be deceptively nonchalant at times, catching opponents off guard. This may explain why he was able to slide a pass to Chhet
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