 "SAFF Championship, India vs Kuwait: Blue Tigers need composure and goals")
Rare as it may be, India are favourites going into the SAFF Championship final against Kuwait, which will be played at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The last time India played Kuwait, before the 2023 tournament, they suffered a 9-1 defeat. But in the final Group A game last week, Kuwait were second-best and it was an extra-time own goal from Anwar Ali that helped the visitors salvage a draw. Read: India neutralise Kuwait threat with flair and fearlessness Well aware of India’s technical supremacy, former Portugal player and coach Rui Bento decided to play an aggressive brand of football that involved heavy tackles and needless confrontations. To get an idea of significance of the achievement, one needs to look at Kuwait’s recent record. They’re unbeaten in the last nine games, defeated UAE and drew against Bahrain in January this year.
The #BlueTigers went right back to work the day after winning an intense semifinal 💪🏽🌧️
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) July 3, 2023
Coach @stimac_igor talks about the performance against 🇱🇧 and what to expect from the #SAFFChampionship2023 FINAL against 🇰🇼🔥👊🏽#BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/WOxFHKr80I
Their FIFA ranking of 141 is as deceiving as a mirage in the desert. The 1980 Asian Cup winner and 1982 World Cup participants have faced multiple FIFA bans including a two-year one from 2015 to 2017. Yet the fact that it took a composure meltdown from 100th-ranked India to allow Kuwait to comeback into the game speaks about Blue Tigers’ progress. India head coach Igor Stimac saw a red card while striker Rahim Ali received one for a foul. The focus shifted from the game and the pressure resulted in a 92nd minute own goal. SAFF Championship Final: Head-to-head, live streaming and TV broadcast Focus and composure are going to be key elements for India to get the desired result in the final. One can expect Kuwait to employ the same strategy that proved successful in the group match. Assistant coach Mahesh Gawli, who would be manning the Indian touchline for the third game in the tournament, said the Indian players have already received instructions on that front. “The last match against Kuwait was very heated. But we have spoken to the boys and asked them to be calm and cool because it is a game, and we have to win,” Gawli said in the pre-match press conference.
"The last match against Kuwait was very heated. But we have spoken to the boys and asked them to be calm and cool because it is a game, and we have to win"
— Ujwal (@UjwalKS) July 3, 2023
-- India assistant coach Mahesh Gawli wants his players to focus on the job in the #SAFFChampionship2023 final pic.twitter.com/8Zoh5p7v2u
Composure however alone may not be enough. Five out of seven India goals in the SAFF Championship have come from Sunil Chhetri. The Lebanon semi-final was the first time the Bengaluru FC striker failed to find the net and that resulted in a penalty shootout. Lallianzuala Chhangte and Naorem Mahesh Singh have been impressive on the flanks and Ashique Kuruniyan and Sahal Abdul Samad have had their moments, but the bulk of scoring still comes from Chhetri’s boots. This makes for a scenario where an opposition team can easily target Chhetri, isolate him and cut down India’s goalscoring supply. To avoid such a scenario, and a shootout where you’re not in control, Stimac would hope his other forwards stand up even if Chhetri has a goalless day. India’s lineup Centre-back Sandesh Jhingan is set to return in place of Mehtab Singh after completing his one-game suspension due to accumulating two yellow cards. He will partner Anwar Ali at the back and Akash Mishra and Nikhil Poojary should be the full-backs. Jeakson Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Chhangte and Mahesh are expected to form the midfield. The only area where there’s a lack of clarity is the position behind Sunil Chhetri. India have preferred Sahal in the creative midfielder role but the lack of returns could see the management opt for Kuruniyan to help with pace and physicality. The SAFF Championship 2023 final between India and Kuwait will start at 7.30 PM IST and will be streamed live on DD Sports and FanCode. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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