2011 SAFF Cup: Chhetri goals give India the Final!

India needed something special from Sunil Chhetri to overcome the Maldives 3-1 in the semifinals at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi to qualify for Sunday's final of the 2011 SAFF Cup.

It wasn't the best of weather in the capital with winter fog making the big Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium a bit gloomy, but a better attendence then in the group stage did seem to lift the Indian spirits. Jeje Lalpekhlua had an early chances, but it was upto an inform Syed Rahim Nabi to give India a 25th minute lead following a Clifford Miranda free-kick. India continued to attack, but they didn't find the necessary second goal.

After the break India continued their attacking game, but it was the Maldives who equalised through a Shamweel Qasim shot in the 59th minute. But India were a composed lot today as Sunil Chhetri was brought down inside the box by Asad Ghani and he himself scored of the resultant penalty in the 68th minute. The match remained tense for the remainder of the game with Chhetri make India's passage to final safe with an injury time strike. It was Chhetri's sixth goal of the tournament.

For India it was an important win which gives the team the chance to defend their title on Sunday, December 11. And like in the opening game India will have to face Afghanistan, who overcame a solid Nepal in extra-time of the second semifinal.


INDIA
1-Karanjit Singh; 4-Nirmal Chetri, 14-Mahesh Gawli, 19-Gouramangi Moirangthem Singh, 22-Syed Rahim Nabi; 12-Anthony Pereira (69' 23-Steven Benedic Dias), 8-Climax Lawrence [C] (83' 28-Jewel Raja Sheikh), 21-Rocus Lamare, 15-Clifford Miranda; 10-Jeje Lalpekhlua (90+' 18-Sushil Kumar Singh), 11-Sunil Chhetri