LBN 0(2) vs IND 0(4) Highlights: India beats Lebanon in penalties; enters SAFF Championship 2023 final

It wasn’t easy. We’re gonna go back and rest well. They are not easy to play against. It went into penalties and we are so happy that we kept our focus and won the match. We are not thinking of the final. We are just going to go back and recuperate and then think about the final.

It’s great for us. The work that we are doing for the last few weeks is showing now, ensuring a clean sheet for 120 minutes and then keeping our composure to keep out shots on target to go on an win.

The Indian head coach comes down from the stands, hugs assistant coach Mahesh Gawli, applauds India’s win and cheers the crowd for their support.

India beats Lebanon 4-2 on penalties and makes its way into consecutive SAFF Championship finals, hoping to defend its crown against Kuwait on July 4.

Sunil Chhetri scores for India!; IND 1-0 LBN
Maatouk misses for Lebanon! IND 1-0 LBN

Anwar Ali scores for India, sends the goalkeeper the wrong way! IND 2-0 LBN
Walid Shour scores Lebanon, despite Sandhu jumping the right way, to his right! IND 2-1 LBN

Mahesh Singh scores for India, sends goalkeepr the wrong way! IND 3-1 LBN
Sadek scores for Lebanon! IND 3-2 LBN

Udanta steps up for India and scores! IND 4-2 LBN
Bader misses for Lebanon! IND 4-2 LBN

India will take the first kick. The list is made. The result set to be done and dusted in the next few kicks.

After 120 minutes of tense action, the score remains 0-0 as it heads into the penalty shootout. India, the defending SAFF champion will now have its trial by fire through spot-kicks.

Rohit Kumar is fouled by Darwich as India gets a free-kick in its half.

Ali Sabeh replaces Mehdi Khalil for Lebanon as the team looks to get ready for the penalty shootout.

Chants of ‘Let’s go India, let’s go!’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ are echoing around the stadium and as two Lebanon players go to ground, Indian fans boo the move, as they think it is done to waste time for a shootout.

Chhangte and Chhetri combine, with the latter drawing defenders and releasing Chhangte, who shoots to force a save by Khalil.

The constant runs of Lebanon are being stifled by India, with the latest one by Khalil cleared by the Blue Tigers.

Lebanon parading around the India box in numbers but India still manages to get the ball out of its box with Anwar getting it to Udanta through a long ball. Udanta passes to Rohit, who fails to thread a pass through for Chhetri.

Maatouk gets the ball to Farran, who crosses for Darwich, but the ball goes over him to Poojary, who tries to start a counter-attack for India. But Lebanon’s defence atches up with him eventually.

Udanta Singh makes a phenomenal run, beats his marker, Zein, side-steps Melki but fails to beat the goalkeeper Mehdi Khalil. Khalil makes a save but Jeakson fails to capitalise on the follow-up.

Mahesh gets a through ball from Rohit Kumar, who then tries to cross for Chhetri only to see Lebanon intercept it out for a corner as the ball ends up in the side-net.

Anwar Ali and Darwich get together again and this time the Indian centre-back gets a caution, getting his name into the book.

India tries to get a shot on target from a free-kick but Lebanon attacks against the run of play. Mahdi Zein gets the ball to Khalil Bader who shoots just off-target.

Anwar Ali fouls Darwich in front of the Indian penalty box and Maatouk steps up for the free-kick. He has already scored from one in this tournament but this time, it is contained by India, with Melki failing get his head to it.

Last 15 minutes to decide the winner, or else we go into penalty shootout. India starts from right to left and Lebanon gets it going from the other end.

Sunil Chhetri came agonisingly close to scoring twice in this half but nothing could actually break the deadlock with valiant performances from both goalkeepers so far.

Nader Matar tries to shoot with the outside of his right foot but ends up seeing the ball fly over the net, out of any chance of danger.

Maatouk tries to combine with Darwich to start an attack but Akash clears the ball out of danger to the cheers of thousands of fans in blue jerseys in the stadium.

Nader Matar tries to switch attack for Lebanon and concededs a free-kick in the process. The referee warns him with a yellow card.

Mahesh tries to start another attack along the right flank. He makes a run along the right flank but his cross for Chhetri on the left is without any direction to fall into the gloves of Khalil, Lebanon’s goalkeeper.

The corner, first headed away, is sent in again by Chhangte and Udanta jumps to get a head. But the header is just off-target.

Mahesh gets the ball up front, passes it to Chhetri, who combines with Chhangte , trying an overlap but Shour intercepts to force a corner kick.

India has successfully drawn Khalil out of his comfort zone but Chhetru fails to exploit the space enough as a crowd of red shirts clear the ball out of danger.

Dejan Trickovic, the assistant coach of Lebanon is shown the red card after being cautioned early-on in the game. And Stimac, India’s head coach, can only smile, watching the match from the stands.

Udanta makes a fantastic run along the right flank, beats his marker, Melki, and then crosses for Chhetri who shoots it off target, in-front of the goalkeeper.

Sunil Chhetri tries to go for the magnificent, receives the ball with one touch and shoots with the next, with his right foot, forcing an important save by Khalil on full-stretch.

Zein is up on his feet but is still limping on the sidelines. Khalil Bader replaces him eventually.

Rohit Kumar and Hussein Zein get into a duel for the ball along the left flank. Zein gets the ball out of play but hurts himself in the process. The medical team of Lebanon rushes for assistance.

The first half of extra-time begins as nearly 20,000 fans await the fate of the Blue Tigers, the defending SAFF Champions, in Bengaluru now.

The referee, Sinan Hussain, blows his whistle to mark the end of regulation time. An extra 30 minutes to be played not to find the winner and if that fails to serve the purpose, we’ll get into penalty shootout.

Karim Darwich fouls Chhangte with a rash challenge and the referee immediately takes out the yellow card for the forward.

Chhangte has switched to the left flank after Udanta’s arrival and tries to get a cross through following a marauding run but cannot reach the ball on time.

Akash Mishra tries a cross from the left, which first blocked is then shot by Anwar to force another block by Lebanon. Meanwhile the visitors go for an attack and Darwich goes down off a foul by Nikhil Poojary.

In: Udanta Singh, Out: Ashique Kuruniyan

Melki makes another key interception as Chhangte’s cross from the left for Chhetri is headed out of play by him. The corner sees Khalil punch the ball out of danger for Lebanon.

Mahesh takes the corner kick after Melki gets the ball out of play. The Cedars makes another clearance to keep ythe scores locked at 0-0.

This corner, however, is cleared away by Lebanon.

Mahesh takes the corer kick which is struck well by Anwar. But the ball dips just a bit late to get a touch from Khalil and then hits the bar to go out for another corner kick.

Anwar gets the ball to Mahesh, who then gets the ball to Akash. but the final cross blocked by Srou. Corner for India.

Anwar goes to ground after heading the ball away, off Lebanon striker Karim Darwich. But the centre-back slowly gets back to his feet.

Farran gets the ball up front, makes a run along the left flank and passes for Maatouk who goes for goal. But the ball whistles past over the net as the Indian fans heave a sigh of relief.

Lebanon has successfully forced India into its own half and is now trying to go on an attack. Srour gets the ball up front but goes only as far as Maatouk in the Indian half as the match remains level at 0-0,with nine minutes of regulation time left.

Akash Mishra makes a good run along the left flank, draws the defenders towards him and releases Ashique and then threads in a pass for the player. But Ashique’s cross is very poor as the ball goes flying out of play.

India had named a squad which looked like a 3-2-5-1 team. It started with a 3-5-2 shape and is now playing a 4-4-2 formation.

The official match attendance is 19,640 -- people turning up in blue jerseys, some with the flag painted on their cheeks with one hope - India makes it to the final.

Out: Anirudh Thapa, Subhasish Bose, Sahal Abdul Samad, In: Rohit Kumar, Akash Mishra, Mahesh Singh

Anwar gets a through ball to Ashique, who then combines with Sahal to catch Lebanon napping. Ashique whips in the cross for Chhhetri, waiting in the centre burut George Melki intercepts to clear it away.

Lebanon has successfully frozen the two flanks, India ususally attacks with and Chhangte, as a result, finds himself, surrounded by red shirts. India, thus tries to attack from the centre, with Thapa trying a lobbed pass for Chahal, but the ball just passes over the KBFC player, out of play.

Maatouk gets the ball to Farran, who darts into the final third, cuts to his left and then shoots with his left foot with the ball rifling over the net, out of play.

Thapa tries to get the ball up the pitch for India but the ball hits Mahdi Zein’s face, who goes down appealing for a foul. The referee does not give a foul and resumes play with a drop-ball.

India tries to attack with set-pieces. Chhangte delivers a cross from the right for Chhetri but overshoots it, only to see Maatouk run back to clear the ball for Lebanon.

Lebanon playing with diagonal balls across the field but Bose contains the attack with a crucial interception, stopping that development entirely.

Mahdri Zein whips in a right-footed cross from the left for Karim Darwich, who heads on target. But Sandhu makes another save to remain unbeaten between the sticks, so far in this game.

Chhangte gets the ball in the box. He tries get back in control as he moves out of the box and then shoots on target. However, there is not force in the shot as Khalil stops its comfortably.

Lebanon has another player down, it is Zein, being attended by the medical team.

Meanwhile, India makes a change along the back-line. In: Nikhil Poojary, Out: Pritam Kotal

Sunil Chhetri chests a long ball and tries to start an attack with a through ball. But the linesman had the falg raised to stop play for an off-side.

In: Karim Darwich, Out: Ali Markabawi

Safe move by Lebanon with Markabawi already on a yellow card and was looking without discipline after the challenges against Bose.

Now the referee gets his card out for Lebanon’s No. 16 for a foul in their own box. He gets the first booking of this half.

Markabawi and Bose are involved yet again along the right flank and the referee gives a foul but keeps his cards in his pocket, despite Sunil Chhetri arguing for further punishment.

Lebanon is looking to build quick attacks ucing single toucheds and fast throw-ins as Aleksandar Illic instructs his side from the technical area. The cpach was verbally warned by the referee for protests in the first-half.

Mehtab gets a lobbed ball, intending to find Chhangte but its lands comfortably for Khalil. Mehtab has replaced Jhingan, who is out with a one-game suspension.

‘Let’s go India, let’s go’ chants are echoing around the stadium as Stimac’s side looks to find the breakthrough against a closely knit defence.

Jeakson gets the abll up front for India, passes for Ashique on his left. But Hussein Zein makes a key interception to stop that development.

India continues its quest for a breakthrough against Lebanon as the next 45 minutes of the match begins.

India has allowed too much space for Lebanon to exploit early on in the match. Lebanon, throughout the tournament, has shown how quickly it can attack. That is something India will look to keep in mind, closing spaces keeping the defence compact.

Gurpreet has been great. The save off Maatouk’s free-kick and the one-on-one save off Farran’s strike early on have proved why he is the undisputed No. 1 for so long in the national team.

Sunil Chhetri, barring the 16th minute through ball for Jeakson Singh, has been marked well enough. He has shown what he can do if given a chance and that is something the BFC striker will look to so in the next half.

Gurpreet Sandhu’s crucial goalkeeping has denied Lebanon two certain goals as India and Lebanon remain tied at 0-0 at the half-way mark.

Markabawi fould Anirudh Thapa in the midfield and the Indian is wreathing in pain as the boys in blue appeal for action from the referee. No cards involved here as the medical team assists him to get back on his feet.

The match has been an end-to-end affair, much like the first semifinal. It will be interesting to see if it ends like that, with an extra-time winner. For now, its goalless at this SAFF Championship semifinal in Bengaluru.

Free-kick for Lebanon and Maatouk at the end of it. The captain’s curler moves in but Sandhu makes a crucial save to deny a certain goal here.

Chhangte and Thapa stand for the free-kick. Thapa runs off with Chhangte delivering a low cross for Chhetri in the centre of the box. The routine looked clearly set-up in the training ground but Shour makes a clearance to end that attack.

Walid Shour is on the ground for an injury, with the referee allowing the medical team of Lebanon to attend to the payer. The player is eventually back on his feet.

Zein Farran fouls Subhasish Bose at the edge of the box. Farran shouts on Bose’s face and the two get in a scuffle only to see the referee intervene for peace. Ashique barges in but the rest of the team cools him down.

Maatouk takes another free-kick. Another right-footed curler, another shot on target but Sandhu makes a comfortable save to keep the score locked at 0-0.

Chhangte gets the ball in the midfield and tries a shot from distance but the ball flies off-target, not creating any threat at all for the boys in red.

Lebanon gets a free-kick after Mehtab fouls Markabawi. Maatouk takes the kick, which curls in but Gurpreet fists it out of danger.

Anwar Ali tries to shoot from distance and goes for glory from the midfield. But Khalil is not at all troubles as he takes control of the ball.

Ali Markabawi tries to get the ball into the final third for Lebanon after pushing Sahal down. India appeals for a foul and the referee blows his whistle. Protests from Lebanon sees the ref reach into his pocket for a yellos card.

Zein fouls Chhangte and India gets another free-kick in the midfield. Kotal takes the free-kick which is headed out of danger by Lebanon.

Thapa takesa free-kick which is just headed off-target by Bose. India continues to ask questions in the final third but the most-needed breakthrough, a goal, has still not arrived.

Mahdi Zein steals the ball in the midfield and then tries a through ball for Maatouk but the ball overruns him as it goes out of play.

Thapa tries to set up Kotal in the box with a clinical cross from the centre, in front of the box. But Kotal’s header is off-target as India continues its pursuit for a breakthrough.

India is playing on the offensive with Anwar trying a through ball for the final third but the Red Wall of Aleksandar Illic’s side is denying any chance of a long ball from the defender.

India starts an attack with Chhetri setting up Jeakson on the right, who threads in a pass for Sahal. But Lebanon’s Ali Dhanini intercepts in the eleventh hour to deny a certrain goal to the Blue Tigers.

Khalil looks to clear the lines for his side as the Cedars look for a breakthrough, starting with an early attacks right from kick-off.

Lebanon has started a very different side to that which played in the Intercontinental Cup, earlier this month, including the goalkeeper Khalil.

Chhangte gets a gorgeous cross from the left to the right flank. He makes a run into the final third, beats his marker and then tries a cross which lands in the gloves of Mehdi Khalil, the Lebanon goalkeeper.

Mataouk tries to get to the ball and is embroiled ina contest with Mehtab Singh. The Lebanon captain goes to the ground holding his ankle and the referee books Mehtab for the offence.

India gives huge space to Lebanon as Zein Farran gets the ball along the right flank and gets in a one-on-one situation with Gurpreet. He shoots on target but the Bengaluru FC goalie wins the battle with a key save.

Kotal tries to get the ball off Matar and fouls him as the player goes to the ground, wreathing in pain. Lebanon protests, appealing for a foul and a card but the referee, Sinan Hussain, is not interested.

Maatouk sets up Matar on the left again and the winger fails to keep the ball on target yet again with a strike that ends in a goal-kick for India.

India is maintaining a three-man defence for now, with Thapa trying a through ball for Chhangte on the right. But Lebanon intercepts to stop that attack.

Lebanon starts on the offensive! Maatouk starts the attack, passes to his right to Zein Farran, who then crosses to the centre for Nader Matar. Matar shoots it high over the net.

Sahal Abdul Samad gets the ball rolling from left to right for India while Lebanon starts from the other end.

The Indian team gathers up for the huddle and is then seen giving a talk to the team as the gets ready for the semifinal.

The players walk out of the tunnel. Lebanon will start in red while India will start in blue. The players queue up for the national anthems and then take their positions on the pitch. Kick-off is minutes away!

The Indian striker has found the net in every game in this tournament so far. Can we score tonight as well? We’ll have to wait and watch.

Here are his goals in the tournament so far:

1. Hat-trick vs Pakistan:

2. Goal vs Nepal:

3. Goal vs Kuwait:

The SAFF Championship semifinal between Lebanon and India is expected to be a full-house, with more and more people walking into the stadium.

India faced Lebanon most recently in the Intercontinental Cup final, where it beat the west-Asian side to clinch the title.

Here’s what happened in that match:

Mehdi Khalil (GK), Hassan Maatouk (C), Mahdi Zein, Hussein Zein, Ali Markabawi, Hasan Srour, George Felix Melki, Nader Matar, Mouhammed Ali Dhaini, Walid Shour, Zein Al Abidine Farran

When will the match between India and Lebanon be played?

The match between India and Lebanon will be played on Saturday, July 1. The kick-off is at 7:30 PM IST.

Where can I watch India vs Lebanon SAFF Championship match?

The game between India and Lebanon in the Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2023 will be streamed live on FanCode on subscription basis. On TV, it can be watched on DD Bharati.

One of the reasons the 2023 SAFF Championship welcomed two West Asian sides in Kuwait and Lebanon was to make the tournament more competitive. India, after all, had won eight of the past 13 editions, and the presence of a couple of evenly matched teams would certainly liven up proceedings.

The India – Kuwait game on Tuesday fit the billing, and India nearly edged the contest before an unfortunate own goal denied it a famous win. On Saturday at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, the hope is for another feisty encounter as the hosts will look to put one across Lebanon in the semifinals.

Recent history suggests that India has the edge, having beaten Lebanon in the Intercontinental Cup final a fortnight ago and drawn the other group stage game in Bhubaneswar. Form-wise, India can take heart from the performance against Kuwait where it was the better team for large chunks of the match.

India pressed high up the pitch, attacked in droves and transitioned excellently from defence to offence. Sunil Chhetri up front, the wingers in Ashique Kuruniyan and Lallianzuala Chhangte, and the defenders in Akash Mishra and Anwar Ali were all excellent.

However, against Lebanon, Chhetri & Co. will have to do without Sandesh Jhingan in defence and head coach Igor Stimac on the touchline. The towering Jhingan, who played a pivotal role in the 1-1 draw against Kuwait, is suspended after picking up his second yellow card. Stimac is banned after his second red in as many matches.

That Lebanon will be keen to avenge the Intercontinental Cup loss will add spice. The Aleksandar Ilic-coached outfit topped Group-B with three wins out of three and the Serbian’s promise of “Total Football” indicated that his wards will play to win.

“There are no secrets any more [between the teams],” declared Ilic, on Friday. “We are really motivated and I am pushing my players psychologically to make them believe we can succeed. It will be very important that we score the first goal. That will help us end the semifinal in a positive way.”