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Sunil Chhetri has been flying the Indian flag in World Football for quite some time now. Chhetri recently became the first Indian to score 50 goals for the National side. He is already considered a legend of Indian Football and by the time he is finished he might become the greatest we have ever had. He has scored tap-ins, long range shots, curlers and even headers in his distinguished career. On his Birthday we have a look at the best goals he has scored for the Indian National Football Team
#1 Bangladesh - Friendly
The first goal on our list is the goal scored during a friendly game against neighbours Bangladesh. With the scores tied at 0-0 and Bangladesh in the ascendency, India won the ball in midfield and passed it to Chhetri who ran straight at the defence.
Coming in from the left wing he passed the ball to Robin Singh and continued the run. Robin instead of taking a touch back-heeled the ball back into Chhetri’s path who was one-on-one with the Bangladeshi keeper.
Chhetri placed the ball in the right-hand corner with the goalkeeper rushing towards him to give India a 1-0 lead. Chhetri got another goal in the game which was the equaliser as Bangladesh had taken the lead with two goals in just over 12 minutes.
#2 Sri Lanka - SAFF Championships
Even though Sunil Chhetri is just 5’7’’ he is very effective in the air. Be it winning a header from a long ball situation or putting the ball into the net from a set-piece he is excellent at it. He has a great leap which helps him compete with any defender he comes up against.
In the 2011 SAFF Championships, Chhetri scored once of the most unique goals of the competition and that too with his head. India were leading 1-0 but they still needed a second to calm their nerves and it was the go-to man who delivered yet again.
Clifford Miranda delivered a cross from the left wing, but the cross was deep towards the far post. Chhetri checked his run and looped the ball over the keeper into the far corner. India eventually ended up winning the game 3-0 en route to another SAFF Championship.
Chhetri’s goal can be viewed at 3:04 mins in the video.
#3 Maldives - SAFF Championships
Every youngster who dreams of playing football should be shown this goal because it epitomises Sunil Chhetri. Usually if someone is really talented, it is always doubtfulif they will work hard for the team.
In a game against Maldives in the 2011 SAFF Championships, India were leading 2-1 in the dying minutes of the game with Maldives standing over a free kick in midfield. Off the resulting free kick, India cleared the ball and Chhetri won the header in India’s half. Jeje collected the ball and played a quick one-two with Chhetri, who set off on a long 70-yard run at the end of an energy-sapping semi-final.
On receiving the ball back from Jeje, Chhetri just put the ball into the net calmly to equal I.M.Vijayan’s 1997 record for six goals in a single tournament. He scored again the final against Afganistan to take the record for himself.
Chhetri’s goal can be viewed at 5:50 mins in the video.
#4 Tajikistan - AFC Challenge Cup
If you don't rate Sunil Chhetri highly, you need to look at the next goal to realize how good the little maestro is. The old cliche of ‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man’ comes to mind as India squared off with Tajikistan in the final of the AFC Challenge Cup.
Chhetri not only scored a hattrick but also scored a goal that maybe no one else on the field would have been able to score. The goalkeeper launched a long ball forward which Chhetri took on his chest and blasted a shot from almost 30-yards into the bottom corner. The opposition keeper made a dive, but the shot was too good for him.
India ran out 4-1 winners with Bhaichung scoring a peach of a goal himself, but it was Chhetri who grabbed the headlines in the next day papers.
Chhetri’s goal can be viewed at 0:30 mins in the video.
#5 Oman - World Cup Qualifier
India qualified for the group stages of the World Cup Qualifiers because of a Sunil Chhetri brace against Nepal in the previous round. Oman began the game by scoring the very first minute of the game and were piling on the pressure and looked destined to get another one.
Nothing was coming off for India until the 26th-minute when Sunil Chhetri scored a goal that Messi would have been proud of(and that is no exaggeration). On the far right hand corner India won a throw-in which was thrown into Chhetri’s direction. Under immense pressure, Chhetri mis-controlled the ball but did not give up.
He forced the defender into an error and wrapped his foot around the ball and the ball flew into the top corner of the far post. Even though India went on to lose the game 1-2, Indian fans felt they got their money’s worth by watching one-of-their-own score one of the best goals scored by an Indian player at such a level.
Chhetri’s goal can be viewed at 0:40 mins in the video.
