Bengaluru (27th June) - Indian defender Anwar Ali's own goal in stoppage time earned Kuwait a 1-1 draw against India tonight, to secure the middle eastern side top spot of Group A in the SAFF Championship 2023.
After the result of the last game of Group A Kuwait and defending champions India is tied on points, with 7 points per team. Both teams were tied on goal difference. However, Kuwait earned semifinal spot as the 1st placed team of Group A courtesy of having a better goal scoring record than India in the competition.
Having guaranteed a spot in the semi’s before tonight’s game at the Sree Kantreeva Stadium in Bangalore both teams made some changes to the starting 11.
In the first half, India threatened Kuwait on set pieces. Kuwait tried breaking down the tough Indian defence and they nearly succeeded in the first half when Mohammad Abdulla Daham was through on goal but his effort was blocked by Indian goalkeeper Amrinder Singh.
India broke the deadlock just before the break when Captain Sunil Chherti got the end of a delivery from a corner kick. Chhetri found space in the packed penalty area, and neatly found the bottom corner from a volley to record his 23rd goal in the SAFF Championship. With this goal, he has equaled the all-time goal scoring record of former Maldivian captain Ali “Dhangadey” Ashfaq.
Kuwait found it difficult to break India's defence for the majority of the second half, and the match got heated midway through the second half.
Indian coach Igor Stimac was sent off in the second half for a possible infringement. Stimac returned to the Indian bench in tonight’s game after serving a one match ban for a red card in India’s first game against Pakistan. Stimac will be banned for the semifinal as well.
In the 90th minute, Indian substitute Rahim Ali and Kuwaiti defender Hamad Al Qallaf were both shown straight red cards for a scuffle that broke between the players of both teams.
India were on their way to sealing a win but, in stoppage time defender Anwar’s touch to a cross from Abdulla Al Buloshi was diverted in the bottom corner of the net.
