India vs Lebanon Highlights, Intercontinental Cup 2023 Final: Chhetri, Chhangte helps India beat Lebanon 2-0

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

Lallianzuala Chhangte and Igor Stimac speak to the broadcasters after the game

Chhangte: It feels great to help the team and get a trophy. Our goalkeeper and defence were so good, that’s why we were getting the freedom. We were up against a very, very good side. We approached the second half with a different mentality.

Stimac: Each game is important. Each win is important. Especially keeping a clean sheet. I was pissed off in the first half. Don’t want to know what I said during half-time. We shouldn’t allow them to control the game for 20 minutes. But they responded brilliantly in the second half. We still have a lot of work ahead of us. It’s not important how we play today. It’s important how we play in January (Asian Cup).

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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90+4’: FULL TIME! INDIA WIN THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP!

Sunil Chhetri and Lallianzuala Chhangte score for the Blue Tigers, who win the tournament for a second time, having previously beaten Kenya in the 2021 final in Mumbai.

The Indians finish as the deserved winners; they created enough chances in the first half and bossed possession, but were unable to find the finishing touch. It must’ve been a hell of a pep talk with coach Stimac during half time that they came all guns blazing right after, with Chhetri finding the net the very first minute after resumption of play. What’s more, India have now kept a clean sheet for a sixth consecutive game!

India, meanwhile, beat Lebanon for the first time since 1977!

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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90+3’: NEARLY A THIRD FOR THE INDIANS! Excellent effort by Sabeh to keep the ball out, leaping to his left after a header from Mahesh. India, meanwhile, are on the verge of victory!

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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90’: Four minutes have been added at the end of regulation time. Can India seal the deal with a third? Or can the Lebanese pull of a last-gasp miracle?

Meanwhile the Indians get a corner after an excellent through ball down the left flank.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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83’: Chhangte’s brought down at the edge of the Lebanese box following a tackle slide from Zeid. , and the Indians plead for a foul and a penalty. Nothing of that sort, as the ref awarding the Blue Tigers a corner instead.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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80’: Another 10 minutes left in regulation time. Can India slip in a third? Meanwhile, Thapa gets a yellow after a foul. A minute later, Zein and Maatouk nearly help Lebanon collect their first goal of the evening.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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71’: Second drinks break of the evening, as the players get some much-needed refreshment in the hot conditions in Bhubaneswar.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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65’: GOAALLLL! Chhangte scores as the Blue Tigers double their lead shortly after the hour mark!

Mahesh makes an instant impact after being brought on, and takes a shot at the Lebanese post, with keeper Sabeh deflecting it towards Chhangte, who taps it in past the keeper.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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59’: And now the Indians make their changes — Mahesh and Rohit coming in for Ashique and Jeakson.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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55’: First personnel change of the evening, with Al Haj and Bader coming in for Darwich and Saad for Lebanon. Looks like the indians will be making some changes soon too.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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46’: GOAAALL! Who else but India’s talismanic strike Sunil Chhetri, who calmly taps the ball in past opposition keeper Sabeh after a pass from the right flank as the Blue Tigers seize the lead in the very first minute of the second half!

It was an inch-perfect cross by Chhangte from the right flank, just outside the box, that setup the goal in the first place. Superb teamwork by the Indians.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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45+3’: Half-time at the Kalinga Stadium! The Blue Tigers have come up with a much better performance with 57 per cent possession. Lebanon though have had more shots at the goal — seven compared to India’s three.

Should we witness another goalless encounter tonight, the final will head straight to penalties. That’s right, no extra time in today’s clash.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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40’: Another five minutes left in regulation time. Can either side break the deadlock? India especially have created multiple chances but haven’t quite been able to finish.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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37’: Back-to-back corners for the Blue Tigers after a pass from the left flank is cleared away by the Lebanese defence. The Cedars then launch a counter-attack after the second corner, with Farran charging down the right flank before Ashique halts the charge with a tactical foul that gets him a yellow.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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29’: Lebanon are awarded a fourth corner in the 29th minute. As has been the case for the most part today, they fail to make much of it.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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26’: Players take a breather to cool down with a drink or two. The showdown between the two sides has lived up to its billing so far!

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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23’: The referee makes his first booking of the evening as Matar gets a yellow for a rash challenge on Ashique. Free kick awarded to India.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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21’: Chhangte manages to get to the ball on the right flank and cut it across the box to Ashique, who takes the shot, only for the ball to deflect off Sahal’s back and go over the post. Perhaps the closest the Blue Tigers have come to opening their account so far.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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6’: Both India and Lebanon begin on a confident note with plenty of charges into each other’s boxes. Ashique, meanwhile, is brought down inside the Lebanese box and instantly cries foul, and punches the ground after the referee signals goal kick. Even India boss Stimac is furious at the touchline.

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

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0’: KICKOFF! The national anthems have been sung and the countdown has been done by the fans, and with that, the action commences at the Kalinga Stadium!

India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE

Starting lineups:

India: Gurpreet (gk), Anwar, Jhingan, Mishra, Poojary, Thapa, Sahal, Chhangte, Ashique, Jeakson, Chhetri

Lebanon: Sabeh (gk), El Hayek, Zein, Maatouk, Saad, Darwich, Matar, Dhaini, Chour, Farran, Tneich

India coach Igor Stimac speaks to the broadcasters ahead of the showdown:

“The manner in which we’ll approach the game. We’re going to come out with a clear idea. High press. We are physically a better side than Lebanon. We can go longer with higher intensity. I never put pressure on the players. I keep mentioning, “Let them enjoy their football”. We are a very different side now.”

Here’s a quick look at the starting lineups ahead of the Intercontinental Cup 2023 Final:

Here’s how Lebanon will look tonight. #HeroIntercontinentalCup #INDLBN ⚔️ #IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/HAgjJRTjlR

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) June 18, 2023

Lebanon’s journey to the Intercontinental Cup 2023 Final:

— defeated Vanuatu 3-1

— drew with Mongolia 0-0

— drew with India 0-0

India’s journey in the 2023 Intercontinental Cup:

— defeated Mongolia 2-0

— defeated Vanuatu 1-0

— drew with Lebanon 0-0