<p>India men`s football team coach Igor Stimac on Tuesday mentioned that togetherness, energy, positive attitude and a great mindset have been the biggest takeaways as Indian Football moved forward together towards the final qualification process of the AFC Asian Cup China 2023. India convincingly defeated Nepal 3-0 at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, on Saturday to clinch the SAFF Championship trophy for a record eighth time.</p>

<p>"The feelings are special, and it`s all for the players. I`m happy for them. They worked really hard in very difficult circumstances as there was a lot of criticism. Some two and a half years back when we started the process, we started with a certain knowledge about what we need to do, how long it will take, and how patient we need to be in the course of time," said Stimac during a virtual press conference. "No national team coach has the budget to buy players, and every national team coach works with players that come out of the leagues. To reiterate myself - on the very first day I had mentioned that suffering will be part of the way, but that`s the only way to go where we are heading to," he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saff-championship-india-lift-eighth-title-beat-nepal-3-0-in-final-421409"><strong>SAFF Championship: India lift eighth title, beat Nepal 3-0 in final</strong></a></p>

<p>Talking about the takeaways from the SAFF Championship, Stimac said: "The togetherness, the energy, the positive attitude and a great mind set. I know we were favourites going in this tournament, and we had certain problems at the beginning. We also did not get time to prepare much in comparison to other teams. If you look at Nepal, they were in preparation for this tournament for nearly two and a half months. "We had only seven or eight days before prior to the tournament. The manner in how the lads stood out, stayed positive, fought together, and how much energy they brought on to the pitch was amazing," he added. When asked about the impact of Sunil Chhetri, Stimac said: "It`s not just the goals he scores, but it`s his leadership on the pitch that is special. He is a role model, and he is the most passionate one in the dressing room. At this age, that`s quite unbelievable. His fitness is unbelievable and we wait for someone to step forward together with a better fitness condition, and with a better scoring ability to replace him."</p>

<p>Stimac also expressed his views on his coaching stint with the Blue Tigers so far. "Two and a half years ago I agreed upon taking this job because I understood that the AIFF Technical Committee, comprising of former players and captains, will understand the process, and what it takes, and how long it might take. I`m grateful to them for their support. We started reconstructing the team from the very first day because we opted for more technical football. We opted for more ball possession football, and opted for more technical players," said Stimac.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-feels-good-for-all-of-them-sunil-chhetri-lauds-youngsters-in-indian-team-for-saff-championship-triumph-421640">'It feels good for all of them': Sunil Chhetri lauds youngsters in Indian team for SAFF Championship triumph</a></strong></p>

<p>"Looking back at the results, I`d say that the match where we didn`t fulfil the expectations was against Bangladesh in Kolkata. All the rest was done in very difficult circumstances. If we look back, we will see that we played only two home games instead of five in the recent Qualifiers. Our first aim was to make sure we qualify for the third round. We secured third place in the group, and from there on to qualify for the final stages of AFC Asian Cup China 2023," he added.</p>


India men`s football team coach Igor Stimac on Tuesday mentioned that togetherness, energy, positive attitude and a great mindset have been the biggest takeaways as Indian Football moved forward together towards the final qualification process of the AFC Asian Cup China 2023.

India men`s football team coach Igor Stimac on Tuesday mentioned that togetherness, energy, positive attitude and a great mindset have been the biggest takeaways as Indian Football moved forward together towards the final qualification process of the AFC Asian Cup China 2023. India convincingly defeated Nepal 3-0 at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, on Saturday to clinch the SAFF Championship trophy for a record eighth time. "The feelings are special, and it`s all for the players. I`m happy for them. They worked really hard in very difficult circumstances as there was a lot of criticism. Some two and a half years back when we started the process, we started with a certain knowledge about what we need to do, how long it will take, and how patient we need to be in the course of time," said Stimac during a virtual press conference. "No national team coach has the budget to buy players, and every national team coach works with players that come out of the leagues. To reiterate myself - on the very first day I had mentioned that suffering will be part of the way, but that`s the only way to go where we are heading to," he added. ALSO READ | SAFF Championship: India lift eighth title, beat Nepal 3-0 in final Talking about the takeaways from the SAFF Championship, Stimac said: "The togetherness, the energy, the positive attitude and a great mind set. I know we were favourites going in this tournament, and we had certain problems at the beginning. We also did not get time to prepare much in comparison to other teams. If you look at Nepal, they were in preparation for this tournament for nearly two and a half months. "We had only seven or eight days before prior to the tournament. The manner in how the lads stood out, stayed positive, fought together, and how much energy they brought on to the pitch was amazing," he added. When asked about the impact of Sunil Chhetri, Stimac said: "It`s not just the goals he scores, but it`s his leadership on the pitch that is special. He is a role model, and he is the most passionate one in the dressing room. At this age, that`s quite unbelievable. His fitness is unbelievable and we wait for someone to step forward together with a better fitness condition, and with a better scoring ability to replace him." Stimac also expressed his views on his coaching stint with the Blue Tigers so far. "Two and a half years ago I agreed upon taking this job because I understood that the AIFF Technical Committee, comprising of former players and captains, will understand the process, and what it takes, and how long it might take. I`m grateful to them for their support. We started reconstructing the team from the very first day because we opted for more technical football. We opted for more ball possession football, and opted for more technical players," said Stimac. ALSO READ | 'It feels good for all of them': Sunil Chhetri lauds youngsters in Indian team for SAFF Championship triumph "Looking back at the results, I`d say that the match where we didn`t fulfil the expectations was against Bangladesh in Kolkata. All the rest was done in very difficult circumstances. If we look back, we will see that we played only two home games instead of five in the recent Qualifiers. Our first aim was to make sure we qualify for the third round. We secured third place in the group, and from there on to qualify for the final stages of AFC Asian Cup China 2023," he added.

Sunil Chhetri is a role model and most passionate one in dressing room, says Igor Stimac

<p>After the Indian football team won a record eighth SAFF Championship title on Saturday (October 16), the captain of the team Sunil Chhetri lauded the young players for the team's victory.</p>

<p>In the final of the SAFF Championship, India defeated Nepal 3-0 as Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th) were the goal scorers for the team in this historic game.</p>

<p>"Look at the youngsters -- it feels good for all of them. It's all due to their hard work. We were here for 20 days till the final, staying on an island, riding the waves every day for practice sessions, and matches," Chhetri said in a release from All India Football Federation.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sunil-chhetri-equals-lionel-messi-as-india-win-a-record-eighth-saff-championship-trophy-421411">Sunil Chhetri equals Lionel Messi as India win a record eighth SAFF Championship trophy</a></strong></p>

<p>"We made it special as we were not so good in the first two games. It was tough from there to come up and play the way we did," added Chhetri.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the win, Chhetri took to his Twitter handle and wrote, "Didn't start like we should have, but ended exactly how we wanted to. Proud of this bunch and the way we got things on track."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Throughout the tournament, Chhetri scored five out of India's eight goals, however, he was all praise of the other two Indian goal-getters in the final clash -- Suresh Singh and Sahal Abdul Samad.</p>

<p>"I enjoyed watching that, Sahal. Suresh, of all the things you copy from me, this is up there. Make it a habit," said the captain.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-much-cristiano-ronaldo-earns-per-week-mind-boggling-salary-of-manchester-united-star-and-his-net-worth-421599">How much Cristiano Ronaldo earns per week? Mind-boggling salary of Manchester United star and his net worth</a></strong></p>

<p>Sahal, on his part, said it was an "unbelievable" moment and "a miracle". "I don't know what happened inside the box. I came in for the last 4-5 minutes. My teammates have been working hard,&nbsp;it all goes to them," he said.</p>

<p>"But I just don't remember what happened inside the box. I got it and went in. This is an amazing feeling."</p>

<p>Chhetri also equalled Lionel Messi with his 80th international strike in the final clash as he opened the scoring in the second half for Blue Tigers. It was his fifth goal in as many outings during this campaign to finish at the top of the scoring chart.</p>


After the Indian football team won a record eighth SAFF Championship title on Saturday (October 16), the captain of the team Sunil Chhetri lauded the young players for the team's victory.

After the Indian football team won a record eighth SAFF Championship title on Saturday (October 16), the captain of the team Sunil Chhetri lauded the young players for the team's victory. In the final of the SAFF Championship, India defeated Nepal 3-0 as Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th) were the goal scorers for the team in this historic game. "Look at the youngsters -- it feels good for all of them. It's all due to their hard work. We were here for 20 days till the final, staying on an island, riding the waves every day for practice sessions, and matches," Chhetri said in a release from All India Football Federation. ALSO READ | Sunil Chhetri equals Lionel Messi as India win a record eighth SAFF Championship trophy "We made it special as we were not so good in the first two games. It was tough from there to come up and play the way we did," added Chhetri. After the win, Chhetri took to his Twitter handle and wrote, "Didn't start like we should have, but ended exactly how we wanted to. Proud of this bunch and the way we got things on track." Throughout the tournament, Chhetri scored five out of India's eight goals, however, he was all praise of the other two Indian goal-getters in the final clash -- Suresh Singh and Sahal Abdul Samad. "I enjoyed watching that, Sahal. Suresh, of all the things you copy from me, this is up there. Make it a habit," said the captain. IN PICS | How much Cristiano Ronaldo earns per week? Mind-boggling salary of Manchester United star and his net worth Sahal, on his part, said it was an "unbelievable" moment and "a miracle". "I don't know what happened inside the box. I came in for the last 4-5 minutes. My teammates have been working hard, it all goes to them," he said. "But I just don't remember what happened inside the box. I got it and went in. This is an amazing feeling." Chhetri also equalled Lionel Messi with his 80th international strike in the final clash as he opened the scoring in the second half for Blue Tigers. It was his fifth goal in as many outings during this campaign to finish at the top of the scoring chart.

'It feels good for all of them': Sunil Chhetri lauds youngsters in Indian team for SAFF Championship triumph

<p>Indian football team won their eighth SAFF Championship title after beating Nepal 3-0 in the final here on Saturday.</p>

<p>Sunil Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th) were the goal scorers for India in this historic game.</p>

<p>Chhetri's goal in the final game helped him level with Lionel Messi on 80 international goals. Notably, this is the Indian football team's first title victory under head coach Igor Stimac.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">FULL-TIME ⌛️<br />
<br />
🏆🏆🏆🏆C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S. 🏆🏆🏆🏆<br />
<br />
🇮🇳 3-0 🇳🇵<br />
<br />
✍️ <a href="https://t.co/Krscpgs4nu">https://t.co/Krscpgs4nu</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDNEP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDNEP</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAFFChampionship2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAFFChampionship2021</a> 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackTheBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackTheBlue</a> 💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianFootball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianFootball</a> ⚽ <a href="https://t.co/bcZwgDxGHn">pic.twitter.com/bcZwgDxGHn</a></p>
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianFootball/status/1449418126299308032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🤩 That Champions Feeling! 🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDNEP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDNEP</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAFFChampionship2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAFFChampionship2021</a> 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackTheBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackTheBlue</a> 💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueTigers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueTigers</a> 🐯 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianFootball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianFootball</a> ⚽ <a href="https://t.co/3K1yag5pFF">pic.twitter.com/3K1yag5pFF</a></p>
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianFootball/status/1449431159910273038?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>India dominated possession in the first-half but they failed to score any goal. However, captain Chhetri put India ahead minutes into the second half and even before Nepal could settle down, Suresh made it 2-0.</p>

<p>Sahal made it 3-0 when he tricked a few defenders after receiving the ball on the left flank at the stroke of the final whistle.</p>

<p>The final was the 12th for India in 13 editions, which also shows their domination in this regional tournament.</p>


Indian football team won their eighth SAFF Championship title after beating Nepal 3-0 in the final here on Saturday. Sunil Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th) were the goal scorers for India in this historic game.

Indian football team won their eighth SAFF Championship title after beating Nepal 3-0 in the final here on Saturday. Sunil Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th) were the goal scorers for India in this historic game. Chhetri's goal in the final game helped him level with Lionel Messi on 80 international goals. Notably, this is the Indian football team's first title victory under head coach Igor Stimac. FULL-TIME ⌛️ 🏆🏆🏆🏆C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S. 🏆🏆🏆🏆 🇮🇳 3-0 🇳🇵 ✍️ https://t.co/Krscpgs4nu#INDNEP ⚔️ #SAFFChampionship2021 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/bcZwgDxGHn — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 16, 2021 × 🤩 That Champions Feeling! 🤩#INDNEP ⚔️ #SAFFChampionship2021 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/3K1yag5pFF — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 16, 2021 × India dominated possession in the first-half but they failed to score any goal. However, captain Chhetri put India ahead minutes into the second half and even before Nepal could settle down, Suresh made it 2-0. Sahal made it 3-0 when he tricked a few defenders after receiving the ball on the left flank at the stroke of the final whistle. The final was the 12th for India in 13 editions, which also shows their domination in this regional tournament.

SAFF Championship: India lift eighth title, beat Nepal 3-0 in final

<p>Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri equalled Lionel Messi with his 80th international strike against Nepal in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saff-championship-india-lift-eighth-title-beat-nepal-3-0-in-final-421409">final clash of SAFF Championship</a> on Saturday (October 16). During the match that India won 3-0 for a record eighth title, Chhetri opened the scoring in the second half for Blue Tigers. It was his fifth goal in as many outings during this campaign to finish at the top of the scoring chart.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, the 37-year-old Chhetri has equalled Messi, becoming the second-highest goal-scorer in international football among active players. For India, Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th) were the goal scorers in this historic game.</p>

<p>India's sports minister Anurag Thakur congratulated Chhetri for achieving the feat. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Thakur wrote, "INDIA wins its 8th #SAFFChampionships2021 Title @chetrisunil11 scripts history as he equals Lionel Messi’s record of making 80 goals."</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<br />
🏆🏆🏆🏆C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S. 🏆🏆🏆🏆<br />
<br />
🇮🇳 3-0 🇳🇵<br />
<br />
✍️ <a href="https://t.co/Krscpgs4nu">https://t.co/Krscpgs4nu</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDNEP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDNEP</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAFFChampionship2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAFFChampionship2021</a> 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackTheBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackTheBlue</a> 💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianFootball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianFootball</a> ⚽ <a href="https://t.co/bcZwgDxGHn">pic.twitter.com/bcZwgDxGHn</a></p>
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianFootball/status/1449418126299308032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueTigers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueTigers</a> 🐯 win record eighth SAFF Championship 👑<br />
<br />
Read the full report 👉 <a href="https://t.co/m7BVNfteNs">https://t.co/m7BVNfteNs</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDNEP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDNEP</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAFFChampionship2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAFFChampionship2021</a> 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackTheBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackTheBlue</a> 💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianFootball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianFootball</a> ⚽ <a href="https://t.co/gvg9jmDK4M">pic.twitter.com/gvg9jmDK4M</a></p>
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianFootball/status/1449437949771145217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🤩 That Champions Feeling! 🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDNEP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDNEP</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAFFChampionship2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAFFChampionship2021</a> 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackTheBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackTheBlue</a> 💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueTigers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueTigers</a> 🐯 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianFootball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianFootball</a> ⚽ <a href="https://t.co/3K1yag5pFF">pic.twitter.com/3K1yag5pFF</a></p>
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianFootball/status/1449431159910273038?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">SAFF Championship as a player ✅<br />
SAFF Championship as a coach ✅<br />
<br />
Just <a href="https://twitter.com/chetrisunil11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chetrisunil11</a> showing his appreciation for former <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueTigers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueTigers</a> 🐯 captain &amp; current Assistant Coach Shanmugam Venkatesh 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDNEP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDNEP</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAFFChampionship2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAFFChampionship2021</a> 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackTheBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackTheBlue</a> 💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianFootball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianFootball</a> ⚽ <a href="https://t.co/wQcksh2d7L">pic.twitter.com/wQcksh2d7L</a></p>
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianFootball/status/1449421880536879106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>India dominated possession in the first half but they failed to score any goal. However, captain Chhetri put India ahead minutes into the second half and even before Nepal could settle down, Suresh made it 2-0.</p>

<p>Sahal made it 3-0 when he tricked a few defenders after receiving the ball on the left flank at the stroke of the final whistle.</p>

<p>The final was the 12th for India in 13 editions, which also shows their domination in this regional tournament.</p>

<p>This is the Indian football team's first title triumph under head coach Igor Stimac, who faced criticism in recent times for his side's inability to win enough games.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Stimac also became the third foreign coach after Jiri Pesek (1993) and Stephen Constantine (2015) to clinch the title with the Indian team.</p>


Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri equalled Lionel Messi with his 80th international strike against Nepal in the final clash of SAFF Championship on Saturday (October 16).

Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri equalled Lionel Messi with his 80th international strike against Nepal in the final clash of SAFF Championship on Saturday (October 16). During the match that India won 3-0 for a record eighth title, Chhetri opened the scoring in the second half for Blue Tigers. It was his fifth goal in as many outings during this campaign to finish at the top of the scoring chart. Now, the 37-year-old Chhetri has equalled Messi, becoming the second-highest goal-scorer in international football among active players. For India, Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th) were the goal scorers in this historic game. India's sports minister Anurag Thakur congratulated Chhetri for achieving the feat. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Thakur wrote, "INDIA wins its 8th #SAFFChampionships2021 Title @chetrisunil11 scripts history as he equals Lionel Messi’s record of making 80 goals." FULL-TIME ⌛️ 🏆🏆🏆🏆C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S. 🏆🏆🏆🏆 🇮🇳 3-0 🇳🇵 ✍️ https://t.co/Krscpgs4nu#INDNEP ⚔️ #SAFFChampionship2021 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/bcZwgDxGHn — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 16, 2021 × #BlueTigers 🐯 win record eighth SAFF Championship 👑 Read the full report 👉 https://t.co/m7BVNfteNs#INDNEP ⚔️ #SAFFChampionship2021 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/gvg9jmDK4M — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 16, 2021 × 🤩 That Champions Feeling! 🤩#INDNEP ⚔️ #SAFFChampionship2021 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/3K1yag5pFF — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 16, 2021 × SAFF Championship as a player ✅ SAFF Championship as a coach ✅ Just @chetrisunil11 showing his appreciation for former #BlueTigers 🐯 captain & current Assistant Coach Shanmugam Venkatesh 🙌#INDNEP ⚔️ #SAFFChampionship2021 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/wQcksh2d7L — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 16, 2021 × India dominated possession in the first half but they failed to score any goal. However, captain Chhetri put India ahead minutes into the second half and even before Nepal could settle down, Suresh made it 2-0. Sahal made it 3-0 when he tricked a few defenders after receiving the ball on the left flank at the stroke of the final whistle. The final was the 12th for India in 13 editions, which also shows their domination in this regional tournament. This is the Indian football team's first title triumph under head coach Igor Stimac, who faced criticism in recent times for his side's inability to win enough games. Stimac also became the third foreign coach after Jiri Pesek (1993) and Stephen Constantine (2015) to clinch the title with the Indian team.

Sunil Chhetri equals Lionel Messi as India win a record eighth SAFF Championship trophy

<p>Igor Stimac, the head coach of the Indian football team, stated the Blue Tigers are "still alive" in the ongoing SAFF Championship before their match against Nepal.</p>

<p>There isn't much of a choice, though, because there are only two games left in the group stage, both of which must be won if India is to go to the final.</p>

<p>"Nothing much has changed. We are here, and we are still alive in the Championship. We are still here to win the tournament," AIFF quoted Stimac as saying.</p>

<p>The two sides had previously played two back-to-back International Friendlies in Kathmandu in the first week of September, with India winning the second match 2-1 after drawing the first.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saff-championships-10-man-bangladesh-hold-india-1-1-despite-sunil-chhetris-76th-international-goal-418220"><strong>SAFF Championships: 10-man Bangladesh hold India 1-1 despite Sunil Chhetri's 76th international goal</strong></a></p>

<p>"We know them very well and have played twice against them. It's an open game and if we play well, and do it right on the pitch, I am sure that we can win the game. There is no other option for us than to go out there and win it," Stimac said.</p>

<p>Nepal now leads the points table with six points after winning both of their matches against the Maldives and Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>"They may have a different approach. They may calculate while playing against us. But we are not worried about them. We will go out to do our job from the first minute itself," the coach added.</p>

<p>The Blue Tigers held their first practice session on Saturday morning, and all 23 players are eligible for selection, according to the news from the camp.</p>

<p>Brandon Fernandes, a midfielder, stated that the squad had "everything to play for."</p>

<p><strong>Watch highlights: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-highlights-saff-championships-2021-india-held-to-a-draw-by-sri-lanka-419005">SAFF Championships 2021 - India held to a draw by Sri Lanka</a></strong></p>

<p>Brandon stated at the formal pre-match news conference:&nbsp;"We have had two disappointing results so far. Understandably, the mood was dull in the camp. But tomorrow we have everything to fight for. We are positive, and have prepared well for this game. Everyone is focused in winning the match."</p>

<p>Stimac had similar sentiments, citing a lack of discipline on the field.</p>

<p>"We haven`t been disciplined enough on the pitch. For all those simple mistakes, we are currently on two points whereas we should have been on 6 points now," he opined.</p>

<p>"We know it will not be easy against Nepal. But we could win against them in Kathmandu, we can do it here too. But I reiterate that for that to happen we need to be committed and disciplined," he added.</p>

<p>Nepal and India will face each other on Sunday.</p>


Igor Stimac, the head coach of the Indian football team, stated the Blue Tigers are "still alive" in the ongoing SAFF Championship before their match against Nepal.

Igor Stimac, the head coach of the Indian football team, stated the Blue Tigers are "still alive" in the ongoing SAFF Championship before their match against Nepal. There isn't much of a choice, though, because there are only two games left in the group stage, both of which must be won if India is to go to the final. "Nothing much has changed. We are here, and we are still alive in the Championship. We are still here to win the tournament," AIFF quoted Stimac as saying. The two sides had previously played two back-to-back International Friendlies in Kathmandu in the first week of September, with India winning the second match 2-1 after drawing the first. ALSO READ: SAFF Championships: 10-man Bangladesh hold India 1-1 despite Sunil Chhetri's 76th international goal "We know them very well and have played twice against them. It's an open game and if we play well, and do it right on the pitch, I am sure that we can win the game. There is no other option for us than to go out there and win it," Stimac said. Nepal now leads the points table with six points after winning both of their matches against the Maldives and Sri Lanka. "They may have a different approach. They may calculate while playing against us. But we are not worried about them. We will go out to do our job from the first minute itself," the coach added. The Blue Tigers held their first practice session on Saturday morning, and all 23 players are eligible for selection, according to the news from the camp. Brandon Fernandes, a midfielder, stated that the squad had "everything to play for." Watch highlights: SAFF Championships 2021 - India held to a draw by Sri Lanka Brandon stated at the formal pre-match news conference: "We have had two disappointing results so far. Understandably, the mood was dull in the camp. But tomorrow we have everything to fight for. We are positive, and have prepared well for this game. Everyone is focused in winning the match." Stimac had similar sentiments, citing a lack of discipline on the field. "We haven`t been disciplined enough on the pitch. For all those simple mistakes, we are currently on two points whereas we should have been on 6 points now," he opined. "We know it will not be easy against Nepal. But we could win against them in Kathmandu, we can do it here too. But I reiterate that for that to happen we need to be committed and disciplined," he added. Nepal and India will face each other on Sunday.

India 'still alive' in SAFF Championship, says coach Igor Stimac as Blue Tigers face Nepal in must-win match

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidyiwckyhzqNoa" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>The Sunil Chhetri-led Team India was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saff-championship-2021-sunil-chhetri-led-india-held-to-a-draw-by-sri-lanka-418942">held to a goalless draw</a> by 205th ranked Sri Lanka in their second SAFF Championships match here on Thursday (October 7), which means the Blue Tigers now have two points from as many games.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The official site of All Indian Football Federation stated that&nbsp;India had a dominant start, putting the two fullbacks to use, in order to stretch the opposition but the Sri Lankan defence was too strong to breach.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mandar Rao Dessai went on a few dangerous outings, and on the quarter-hour mark, almost found Sunil Chhetri with a dangerous cross.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-approves-as-saudi-led-consortium-completes-ps305-million-deal-to-gain-control-of-newcastle-418996">Premier League approves as Saudi-led consortium completes £305 million deal to gain control of Newcastle</a></strong></p>

<p>However, the India skipper could not connect his header, as the ball went inches over him and into the keeper Sujan Perera’s hands.</p>

<p>In the 22nd minute, Liston Colaco had a big chance when Udanta Singh was played through into some space on the right flank and swung a cross into the box. Liston had a free header but mistimed it as the ball looped over the bar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After that, Udanta again weaved past two defenders into the box and passed it through to Seriton but it was not converted.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch the highlights here:</strong></p>

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<p>The SAFF Championship is the main international association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Blue Tigers play Nepal in their next game at the same venue on Sunday, October 10, with the match kicking off at 9.30 pm IST.</p>


The Sunil Chhetri-led Team India was held to a goalless draw by 205th ranked Sri Lanka in their second SAFF Championships match here on Thursday (October 7), which means the Blue Tigers now have two points from as many games.

The Sunil Chhetri-led Team India was held to a goalless draw by 205th ranked Sri Lanka in their second SAFF Championships match here on Thursday (October 7), which means the Blue Tigers now have two points from as many games. The official site of All Indian Football Federation stated that India had a dominant start, putting the two fullbacks to use, in order to stretch the opposition but the Sri Lankan defence was too strong to breach. Mandar Rao Dessai went on a few dangerous outings, and on the quarter-hour mark, almost found Sunil Chhetri with a dangerous cross. ALSO READ | Premier League approves as Saudi-led consortium completes £305 million deal to gain control of Newcastle However, the India skipper could not connect his header, as the ball went inches over him and into the keeper Sujan Perera’s hands. In the 22nd minute, Liston Colaco had a big chance when Udanta Singh was played through into some space on the right flank and swung a cross into the box. Liston had a free header but mistimed it as the ball looped over the bar. After that, Udanta again weaved past two defenders into the box and passed it through to Seriton but it was not converted. Watch the highlights here: SAFF Championship 2021: Sunil Chhetri-led Team India held to a goalless draw by Sri Lanka Watch highlights@EurosportIN pic.twitter.com/wXo2niqS98 — WION (@WIONews) October 7, 2021 × The SAFF Championship is the main international association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation. The Blue Tigers play Nepal in their next game at the same venue on Sunday, October 10, with the match kicking off at 9.30 pm IST.

Watch highlights: SAFF Championships 2021 - India held to a draw by Sri Lanka