New Delhi: Star striker Sunil Chhetri struck twice as India beat Maldives 40603 in the holders of fun to create a semi-final at the summit in conflict with Afghanistan Saff Football Championship here today.
Chhetri scored in the 69th and 90 Syed Rahim Nabi minutes was given to lead the 24th India.
Shamweel Qasim was the scorer as he found the net for the Maldives in the 60th minutes at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
In the second semi-final, winning in Afghanistan, Nepal 36526 through extra time goal striker and captain Balal Arezo is exciting but ill-tempered match.
Does watching the Rangers? Sunil Chhetri man of his time-of-the-match performance in the Maldives. Reuters
Arezo found one hundred and first goal Afghan girl to take a minute of their final after the two sides were locked 0-0 in regulation time.
India, seeking its sixth tournament title, this is the Eighth of nine entering the final publications.
Chhetri, who was returning from a five-day trial stint Glasgow Rangers just before the tournament, took the game away from the winners of the Maldives in 2008, scoring two goals after the two sides were locked 1-1 till the 68th minute.
India dominated most of the first half, they led 1-0, although the Maldives, threatened to restore parity.
Savio Medeira boys have received at least three possibilities after one of the fist half, pulled to the goal.
As early as the second minute, striker Jeje Lalpekhlua fumbled and his off-balanced left-footer just before the goal went to the Maldives over the bar after the goalkeeper had parried Mohammed Imran Chhetri shot.
Imran came to the rescue again in the 14th on his side minute as he dived brilliantly to his left to push away Jeje header after the attacker created the Nabi India.
Eight minutes later, Chhetri found himself unmarked to his left footer on top of the box went over the bar.
The incessant pressure from the Indian 24th goal minute after a dead ball situation. Clifford Miranda's floated free-kick in the 24th Indian Jeje minute and could not jump. But Nabi by the outstretched right leg touched the ball, which hit the back of the net.
The Maldives was trying to come back towards the close of the first session of a couple of threatening moves with the captain and star striker Ali Ashfaq is the thick of things.
A minute before halftime, the Maldives became the best chance of Shamweel Qasim Ashfaq going to send a low defender Gouramangi Singh, who controls the Indian, but his shot just missed target a few inches.
India conceded the equalizer almost immediately after the restoration, but the goalkeeper palmed Karanjit Singh, a header by striker Ahmed Tariq Maldives in the nick of time, the 49th minute.
The Maldives was dominated at the beginning of the second session and found the equalizer for about an hour mark Akram Abdul Gani firing stinging right-footer after Qasim found himself free to roll in the box exactly grounded to pass.
India took the lead against the run of play Chhetri transforming the place of his legs had been cut inside the box belonging to Mohammed Umair.
After the judge pointed to the terrible Timur Faizullin spot, Chhetri cooly stepped up and send the ball to the left Maldives goalkeeper into the net, a lot of celebration sparse 2000-odd crowd.
Thanks to the strike, the Indians seemed much more confident again, and they find loopholes in the protection of the opposition, such as the Maldives, went all-out attack to find the equalizer.
It was a stroke of regulation time to send a low Jeje Chhetri goes between two defenders and the latter collected the ball, made some progress, and sent it past advancing goalkeeper.
Chhetri, who was declared Man of Match, is now a joint top scorer of the tournament Arezo Afghanistan's six goals in each of four matches.
Article Source:- http://www.firstpost.com/sports/stellar-chhetri-performance-puts-india-in-finals-of-saff-152572.html
