MURALI KUMAR: India won the SAFF Championship with a 5-4 penalty shootout win against Kuwait at the Sree Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday. It was Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s save in the penalty shootout that ultimately won the game for Igor Stimac’s side. Kuwait captain Khaled Hajiah decided to shoot to the right of the goal. Sandhu made the correct guess and made a one-handed save on the shot. Sandhu’s save got India its ninth SAFF Championship.

The game had ended 1-1 after which the hosts prevailed 5-4 in a nail-biter of a penalty shootout. Both sides could not add to the goals they scored in the first half and the game went into extra time. Both halves were as frantic and physical as was expected considering the events of the league stage fixture between India and Kuwait.

Kuwait were far more steady in possession early on and that was reflected when they went ahead just after the first 15 minutes. India, backed by a spirited home crowd at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, responded in style, peppering the Kuwait box with attacks before Lallianzuala Chhangte equalized for the hosts right at the 40-minute mark. Earlier, India’s Udanta Singh and Kuwait Mohammad Abdullah had missed their chances to force the shootout.

The penalties were needed after the teams were locked in a 1-1 draw after extra-time ended - a scoreline identical to their group stage encounter. Kuwait’s Shabaib Al-Khaldi opened the scoring in the match when he tapped the ball into the goal in the 13th minute. India got back into the game in the 38th minute when Lallianzuala Chhangte fired in Sahal Abdul Samad’s squared ball. - Agencies