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The Indian men's national team lifted the Intercontinental Cup 2023 title by defeating Lebanon 2-0 in the final at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, on Sunday, June 18. Second-half goals from Sunil Chhetri and Lallianzuala Chhangte helped the hosts get the all-important win.
The Blue Tigers uprooted the Cedars to clinch their second Intercontinental Cup title.
Building up to the fixture, with the occasion in mind, head coach Igor Stimac opted for a full-strength lineup with Chhetri returning to lead the pack. Lallianzuala and Ashique Kuruniyan took up the creative duties in the wide areas. Meanwhile, Sahal Abdul Samad was yet again deployed in a free role behind the central forward.
Having already exchanged blows with their opponents in the group stage previously, the Blue Tigers started the encounter with a lot of intensity. They pressed in the middle of the park, as Stimac had said they would.
Ample crossing from the hosts were on display from the get-go. However, the final ball lacked the quality to outwit the impregnable Lebanon defense.
Despite the lack of goals in the first half, it wasn't devoid of drama. In the sixth minute, Ashique, making a darting run into the opposition box, was tripped by Hussein Zeion but the referee didn't deem it as a foul. Although an animated Stimac demanded a penalty from the touchlines, replays showed that the obstruction was outside the box.
Sahal was the pick of the Indian attackers throughout the first 45, dancing past defenders and wriggling into spaces. 17 minutes into the game, the Kerala Blasters midfielder created some room down the left channel with a mazey run. However, his attempt to find Chhetri with a cutback at the near post was intercepted.
Despite getting into fine positions in the opposition half, India couldn't breach the Lebanon defense due to their rushed final attempts and undercooked decision-making. Meanwhile, visiting forwards Hassan Saad and Karim Darwich continued to chip away at the opposition defense without much rewards.
India turn on the burners in the second half against Lebanon in Intercontinental Cup 2023 final
The proceedings from the first half had many onlookers prepared for another 45 minutes of drudgery. However, as the whistle for the second half went off, India immediately stepped on the gas.
Strung together, the cheeky-flicked nutmeg from Nikhil Poojary down the right flank, the marauding run from Chhangte before squaring an intricate final ball, and finally the poaching skills of Chhetri created an attacking symphony. The Lebanon defense was left stunned and breached as the Blue Tigers finally broke the deadlock in the 46th minute. It was through their skipper's 87th international strike.
Minutes later, scrambling to find a response, Hassan Maatouk miscued his effort, turning it into a cross for the unmarked Darwich. The ball, however, steered well clear of the latter.
Understanding the need to reshuffle the lineup, Stimac brought on Naorem Mahesh Singh in place of Ashique Kuruniyan and the East Bengal winger had an impact almost instantly. In the 65th minute, Mahesh received the ball from Chhetri on the left and created room for a low-driven effort. Opposition custodian Ali Sabek made a diving attempt to parry the effort away, but Chhangte, reacting the quickest, tucked the ball home.
Once the cushion lead was secured, Anwar Ali and Sandesh Jhingan ensured that there was no way through for the Cedars. With half-chances appearing for Lebanon as the match was nearing its conclusion, the Blue Tigers raced to a scrappy ending.
After the final whistle, however, Stimac underlined his displeasure with the team's performance in the first half, but was quick to laud their response in the second. A bit hyperbolic maybe, but the Croatian tactician termed it as India's best performance in a half in over five decades.
However, all eyes will quickly switch to the SAFF Championships next, where the Blue Tigers will start their campaign on June 21 against arch-rivals Pakistan.
