Saudi Arabia involved in opening fixtures at Pan Arab Games football tournament
RIYADH: The Pan Arab Games football tournament kicks off in Algeria on Sunday featuring eight national teams.
Lebanon Sport News
India Beat Lebanon 4-2 In Penalty Shootout To Enter SAFF Championship Final
Defending champions India held their nerves to beat Lebanon 4-2 in a tense penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes of play to enter the final of the SAFF Championship football in Bengaluru on Saturday. The home side face Kuwait, a 1-0 winner over Bangladesh in the other semifinal of the day, in the summit clash on July 4. India will be playing in the final of the regional tournament for the 13th time and ninth on the trot. They have won eight times in the earlier 13 editions. The only time India did not make it to the top two was in 2003. In the penalty shootout, skipper Sunil Chhetri, Anwar Ali, Mahesh Singh and Udanta Singh found the back of the net for India.
India vs Lebanon Live Updates, SAFF Championship Semi-final 2023: Sunil Chhetri Key For Hosts As Sandesh Jhinghan Misses Out
India vs Lebanon Live Updates, SAFF Championship 2023:India will bank on the striking prowess of their talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri to tame a formidable Lebanon in the SAFF Championship semifinal in Bengaluru on Saturday. India, the defending champions, entered the semis as the second-placed team behind Kuwait from Group A while Lebanon topped Group B in their march to the last-four stage.
Kuwait Beat Bangladesh 1-0 To Enter SAFF Championship Final
Kuwait had to stretch their last sinew before eking out a nervy 1-0 win over Bangladesh to enter the SAFF Championship final in Bengaluru on Saturday. Abdullah Al Bloushi scored the winner for Kuwait in the dying minutes of the first half of extra time. They will face either India or Lebanon in the summit clash on July 4. Before the goal, the match saw both the sides frittering away chances with abandon. It started in the second minute of the first half itself when Bangladesh's Shekh Morsalin only had Kuwait goalkeeper Anisur Rahman to beat but shot the ball straight into the latter's hands.
India Football Coach Igor Stimac Suspended For 2 Games, Fined USD 500 For Red Card Offence In SAFF Championship Game vs Kuwait
India head coach Igor Stimac was on Friday handed a two-match ban for his red-card offence after he argued with the match officials during the home side's 1-1 draw against Kuwait in their last group match of the SAFF Championships football in Bengaluru. Stimac was also fined USD 500 as the SAFF Disciplinary Committee deemed it a fit case for suspending him for more than one match. He was also handed a red card against Pakistan in India's campaign opener on June 21 but in that case the matter was not referred to the SAFF Disciplinary Committee as the offence was deemed "less serious" and he had to sit out of the subsequent match against Nepal on June 24.
"It May Come On A Day When...": India Football Great Sunil Chhetri Opens Up On "Last Game For The Country"
India skipper and mercurial striker Sunil Chhetri on Friday played down the talks about his retirement saying he has not put any timeline for himself to bid adieu to the game. Chhetri is 38 but still continues to be the spearhead of Indian attack, evidenced by the five goals he netted in the ongoing SAFF Championship from three matches. "I don't know when my last game for the country is going to be. It derives from the fact that I have never had long-term targets, I think about next match, next 10 days. It (retirement) may come at a day when probably I don't want to, as there are a lot of things, and I will be done. Till that time, I never think about it," Chhetri said on the eve of India's semifinal against Lebanon.
India Bank On Sunil Chhetri Magic To Overcome Lebanon Challenge In SAFF Championships Semis
India will bank on the striking prowess of their talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri to tame a formidable Lebanon in the SAFF Championship semifinal here on Saturday. India, the defending champions, entered the semis as the second-placed team behind Kuwait from Group A while Lebanon topped Group B in their march to the last-four stage. Chhetri has been India's primary weapon in this tournament, as he has so far netted five goals from three matches to sit on top of the goal-scorers' list. The count of goals includes a hat-trick against Pakistan.
India Climbs To 100th Spot In Latest FIFA Men's Football Rankings
Indian senior men's football team has climbed to the 100th spot in the latest FIFA Men's Football Rankings. The Twitter handle of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) shared this news with the fans. "India move up to in the latest FIFA Men's World Ranking Steadily we rise #IndianFootball," tweeted AIFF's official Twitter.