Highlights, Intercontinental Cup 2018 Final, India vs Kenya: Sunil Chhetri leads from front to guide Blue Tigers to title

FULL TIME!

India win the Intercontinental Cup with a rather comfortable win in the final against India. Brilliant all-round performance from the team, completely outplayed Kenya on the night.

India were the best team in the competition and are worthy winners. Time for the team to celebrate the success before moving on to greater things

Campeones! Campeones sing the crowd. With a few minutes still to play, it is a bit premature, but India looking good to see this through. Kenya need something special now

80’ IND 2-0 KEN

India maintaining a great defensive shape. It’s been a very disciplined effort that may go unnoticed. Great shift from the likes of Udanta who have been excellent with their defensive duties. India are allowing Kenya on to themselves. The press only comes after Kenya enter the last third of the pitch. The introduction of Rowlin has made them more solid but also more defensive. India posing less of a threat since Jeje’s departure but they don’t need to score

Constantine looking to shore things up in midfield. It seems he is happy to keep what he has and see this through. India have been largely untroubled so far, but Constantine taking no chances

65’ IND 2-0 KEN

Formation change for India. Constantine switching to a 4-5-1 system. Sunil Chhetri moves to the left wing. Balwant Singh is the lone man forward. Rowlin Borges will sit in the middle to make it a midfield three.

Second half begins. Kenya with two early attempts on the Indian goal. The visitors have come out with a lot of intent

HT: IND 2-0 KEN

India in complete control at the break. Kenya have failed to match India’s intensity. The defending for the two Indian goals has been shoddy to say the least. India have turned up tonight and have one hand on the trophy already

64 goals international goals now for Sunil Chhetri in 102 matches for India. He’s no Messi, he’s no Ronaldo, but he is worth his weight in gold for India at the moment

GOAL!

IND 2-0 KEN

 A simple long ball undoes the Kenyans. Sunil Chhetri runs into space between two central defenders, chests down the ball, outmuscles the defender and sends low effort past Matasi into the net. Brilliant finish from the Indian captain but dreadful defending from Kenya

25’ IND 1-0 KEN

Kenyans have upped the attack in the final and are unsettling the Indians for the first time this match. The speed and physicality of the Kenyan players have held them in good stead over the past few minutes. A couple of close chances, but the Indian defence has just about managed to maintain the lead

The flash lights are out. Looking nice and bright. The fans trying to match up to their team who have been brighter in the opening exchanges

10’ India 1-0 Kenya

GOAL! Kenya caught cold. Instead of crossing the ball from a free kick just outside penalty area on the right-hand side, Anirudh Thapa squares it to Sunil Chhetri who escapes the clutter of players to meet the grounded square pass and fire it into the net first time. Early lead and the Mumbai Football Arena is bouncing already.

Moments later Chhetri is through on goal again but chooses to pass it across the face of the goal instead of shooting. There are no Indian takers and chance is gone. Good vibrant start from India. Kenya struggling to live with the pace and movement of Indian forwards

GOAL!

IND 1-0 KEN

An eighth-minute goal from India skipper Sunil Chhetri opens the scoring in the Intercontinental Cup Final. It started with a brilliant pass from Anirudh Thapa and Chhetri succinctly kicked it past the Kenyan goalkeeper to give hosts the lead in the FINAL

KICK OFF!

Kenya get us underway at the Mumbai Football Arena. India attacking from left to right in the first half

Tri-colour in the stand. Will that also be the case on the pitch?

There’s a light drizzle as the players walk off the pitch after warm-up. The Rain Gods doing their bit to get the best possible conditions. A last spray of water before kickoff. Perfect for neat, zippy passing game of football

India warming up. In the background, the team is being announced and Sunil Chhetri’s name is met with a loud cheer. The crowd is expecting a big performance from him, and rightly so

As promised by Stephen Constantine, India go full strength. Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sandesh Jhingan, Anas Edathodika, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Pronoy Halder, Sudhasish Bose, Halicharan Narzary, Udanta Singh all return to the fold. India expected to line up in their 4-4-1-1 formation.

Kenya make 2 changes. Midfielder Kenneth Mugambi Mukuna and defender Bernard Ogina are included

Big crowd expected again today. Stadium is slowly filling in. The members of Bharat Army, Indian cricket team’s supporter’s club are here nice and early and they are making lots of noise.

As far as the Blue Pilgrims are concerned watch out for a one of a kind 3D banner that’s going to be unfurled just before kick off.

Here ’s Kaushal Shukla’s preview of the all-important Final of a tournament that has got India’s footballing community rallying behind the national team

Here ’s Firstpost correspondents Kaushal Shukla and Anish Anand previewing the FINAL between India and Kenya

Hello and welcome to Firstpost‘s coverage of the Hero Intercontinental Cup 2018 FINAL between India and Kenya