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Thanks to a brace from talisman Sunil Chhetri, the Indian national team cruised to a 2-0 victory over Cambodia in their opening encounter of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers on June 8. The two goals on the night took the 37-year-old's international goal tally to a staggering 82.
What did he have to say about the achievement?
In a quintessential Sunil Chhetri fashion, the Indian skipper quipped:
"I just feel old."
The Bengaluru FC striker was quick to add that people who know the man behind the enigma know that these numbers don't really mean much to him. At least not now. It might, some years down the line, when he 'has a big tummy,' the captain humoured while talking to the press after the game.
"People who know me know that I don't really care about these numbers. Once I'm done and I have a big tummy, we can probably talk about these."
Meanwhile, Chhetri also lauded the performances of the youngsters who represented the national team in a crucial fixture inside a roaring stadium. However, the former Mohun Bagan forward remarked that having the experience of Sandesh Jhingan and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu must have really helped these young boys.
Chhetri said:
"All of them played really well. Akash, Suresh, Roshan, and Anwar. But Akash has especially impressed me over the last few months. However, it does help when you have Sandesh and Gurpreet by your side. I'm pretty sure all these youngsters must have had nerves, but how they dealt with it is really admirable."
"I hope they go home happier" - Sunil Chhetri on the fans after India's victory against Cambodia
All the talk around the Qualifier match against Cambodia was about the massive home support that was expected at the Salt Lake Stadium. Although there were clear lapses in the ticketing system, an official attendance of 26,118 was registered. Given the fans' passion and enthusiasm, it felt like a lot more.
The last time the Indian team played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, the Blue Tigers salvaged a late 1-1 draw against Bangladesh after a frustrating outing.
Sunil Chhetri stated:
"The way the fans here support it is outstanding. There was a lot of talk if people would come to the stadium, or even if they did, how many. But when you come here and see them, it's really great. Doesn't matter which tournament we are playing in, especially when we come to Kolkata, we should give them at least a good performance. I hope they go home happier."
The captain thanked the fans in Kolkata for their support against Cambodia and urged them to flock to the stadiums once again when India face Afghanistan on Saturday.
