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India vs Lebanon, Intercontinental Cup 2023 Final preview: India and Lebanon lock horns for a second time in three days when they face one another in the final of the 2023 Intercontinental Cup on Sunday. The two sides square off at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium, which has hosted all the matches in the four-team tournament this year. Lebanon had held India to a goalless draw on Friday in a closely-fought fixture, a virtual dress rehearsal before the summit clash. While Lebanon started with a relatively strong side, the Igor Stimac-coached Blue Tigers rested several seniors from the starting XI, including talismanic skipper Sunil Chhetri and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Star defender Sandesh Jhingan wore the captain’s armband in Chhetri’s absence while Amrinder Singh guarded the Indian goalpost with Sandhu on the bench. Chhetri would later come in as a substitute along with Rahul Bheke with less than 10 minutes left on the clock, and would narrowly miss out on a winner shortly after being brought on. India had earlier begun their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Mongolia. That was followed by a 1-0 win over Vanuatu, in which Chhetri scored the only goal of the game. Lebanon too started off with a commanding win, beating Vanuatu 3-1 before being held to a goalless draw by Mongolia. Their place in the final was confirmed ahead of their match against India after Vanuatu beat Mongolia 1-0. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
India vs Lebanon Highlights, Intercontinental Cup 2023 Final: Chhetri, Chhangte helps India beat Lebanon 2-0
India vs Lebanon, Intercontinental Cup 2023 Final Latest Score and Update: FT IND 2-0 LBN; INDIA WIN THE 2023 INTERCONTINENTAL CUP! Sunil Chhetri and Lallianzuala Chhangte score for the Blue Tigers, who win the tournament for a second time!
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That brings us to the end of our live coverage of the 2023 Intercontinental Cup final between India and Lebanon, with India emerging victorious much to the Kalinga Stadium’s delight. On behalf of my colleagues at Firstpost, this is Amit signing off, leaving you all with this wonderful image shared by the AIFF on Twitter
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
FT IND 2-0 LBN
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
IND 2-0 LBN
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
IND 2-0 LBN
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
IND 2-0 LBN
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
IND 2-0 LBN
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
IND 2-0 LBN
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
IND 2-0 LBN
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
IND 1-0 LBN
59’: And now the Indians make their changes — Mahesh and Rohit coming in for Ashique and Jeakson.
India vs Lebanon Intercontinental Cup Final LIVE
IND 1-0 LBN
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
IND 1-0 LBN
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
HT IND 0-0 LBN
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
IND 0-0 LBN
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
IND 0-0 LBN
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
IND 0-0 LBN
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
IND 0-0 LBN
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
IND 0-0 LBN
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
IND 0-0 LBN
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
IND 0-0 LBN
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
IND 0-0 LBN
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:
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