Page 41 - The Indian EYE 063023

SPORTS JUNE 30, 2023 | The Indian Eye 41

King of hat-tricks, Indian football

captain Sunil Chhetri decimates

Pakistan at home

OUR BUREAU
Bengaluru
he night of June 21 in Ben-
galuru had it all. Eight-time
TSAFF champions India versus
a new-look Pakistan. A rain-lashed
Kanteerava. Unwavering support
from the Blue Tigers faithful. Cool
evening, but hot heads. And to top it
all, a Sunil Chhetri hat-trick.
Following his side’s win over
arch-rivals Pakistan in the SAFF
Championship campaign opener, ace
Indian striker Sunil Chhetri said that
it was amazing to be able to maintain
a clean sheet and added that though
it is going to get difficult later in the
tournament, his team feels confident.
The Indian men’s football team
ran roughshod over arch-rivals Pa-
kistan in their opening game of the
SAFF Championship 2023, putting
four goals past a hapless rival defence
at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in
Bengaluru on Wednesday. Indian
skipper Chhetri led from the front,
scoring a hat-trick (10’, 16’ and 73’) Indian striker Sunil Chhetri said that it was amazing to be able to maintain a clean sheet (ANI)
followed by Udanta Singh Kumam’s
goal in the 81st minute. It took his in- and Lionel Messi have netted more Thapa, then Chhangte. Noise levels not just for the 23-year-old Chhetri,
ternational goal tally to 90. Wednes- times for their nation than the Indi- unmatched. A jet could fly over the but for the Blue Tigers too, as the
day night was all about Sunil Chhetri. an skipper. Kanteerava, and you wouldn’t be victory secured them qualification
But he, as the captain of the nation, The fourth hat-trick of his ca- able to hear it. to the AFC Asian Cup after 27 long
would refuse to make it about him. reer against the same side he an- Both his next goals arrived from years.
Big night, four goals for India, but nounced his arrival on the interna- the penalty spot. Make no mistake, Pune saw Chhetri’s next treble,
what he felt the most satisfied about tional stage 18 years ago. On June it is not as easy to convert from 12 then it was Mumbai. And now, Ben-
was the clean sheet. Three goals, all 12, 2005, when Chhetri scored on yards as it looks. But Chhetri has al- galuru, his home for the last 10 years,
celebrated with a straight face, but his India debut against Pakistan in ways been a master of this art. Paki- has finally had the privilege to revel
when Udanta struck the fourth, he Quetta, he would not have imagined stan custodian Saqib Hanif correctly in a magical night for their legend in
was the one with the risest smile. the glistening career which await- guessed the direction on both occa- national colours. It would be unfair
“Quite satisfied that we kept ed him. Pakistan would not have sions, but there was but no chance. not to acknowledge Kanteerava’s
a clean sheet because that was our guessed he would still be haunting Too accurate and powerful to save. contribution. The stadium didn’t just
first target. I am also happy to be them almost two decades down the The first one went straight into witness the sensational night but in-
back at the fortress. The atmo- line. the side netting. A short run-up, and spired it.
sphere was amazing,” said Chhetri “I got so pumped up that I ran to bam. The second one seemed tricki- “When times are tryin’, we keep
after the match as quoted by an All celebrate and put my arms out. It was er. Heavy rain. Uneven pitch on the the tricolour flyin’,” was the message
India Football Federation (AIFF) pin-drop silence as the crowd looked other end. But there was no way he from the West Block Blues before
press release. at me angrily. My teammates did not could let down the almost 23-thou- kick-off. Weekday and pouring rain
Ninety international goals. No join me,” is how Chhetri smilingly sand-strong crowd watching in an- didn’t matter. There was non-stop
matter what, no matter how, no mat- described that debut goal moment. ticipation. Even shorter run-up this chanting from start to finish.
ter who, it is a surreal number. Sunil He didn’t have to run to cele- time, before he coolly lodged it into Chhetri has always admitted that
Chhetri is now the fourth-highest in- brate after opening the scoring this the top-left corner. he prefers not to keep track of his in-
ternational goalscorer in the history time in Bengaluru. It was his team- Hat-trick. Delhi witnessed his ternational goals. However, his mil-
of the sport, overtaking Malaysia’s mates who did the running. First Sa- first one 15 years ago in the 4-1 win lions of fans cannot help but glance
Mokhtar Dahari at 89. Only centu- hal, who held him dearly with both over Tajikistan in the AFC Challenge at the all-time rankings each time he
rions Cristiano Ronaldo, Ali Daei hands, followed by Ashique, then Cup Final. It was a monumental day strikes. Every goal creates history.

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