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SAFF Championship Final In Pictures: A Look Back At How India Beat Afghanistan 4-0 To Lift Their Record Sixth Title
Goal.com allows you to relive the Indian national team's triumph at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in New Delhi, on Sunday, through images...
13-Dec-2011 1:35:00 AM
By Anselm Noronha
efc images
India have successfully defended their SAFF Championship crown by defeating Afghanistan 4-0 in the final of the 2011 edition of the competition.
Coming into the match as five time champions, India were tagged as the favourites given that they were playing at home against a nation who has gone through the semi-final for the first time in the tournament's history.
It was Afghanistan who started on a brighter note as the very first minute needed a last ditch clearance from Gouramangi Moirangthem after Anthony Pereira gave away the ball and Balal Arezou was through.
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 2′
The lively Balal Arezou has a shot blocked by Karanjit as Arezou lets rip from the edge of the box.
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| The Men in Blue were finding it difficult to find their feet as they failed to stitch together a couple of passes inside the opposition half. |
 23′
Rahim Nabi, who is now clearly recognisable as he sports a bandage after a clash of head with Ghulam Hazrat, goes past three players before finally being stopped
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27′
Jeje and Chhetri haven't got a sniff of the ball around the box till now, all Afghanistan at the moment, but can they make it count?
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Savio Medeira’s side were second best for most of the first half and couldn’t deal with the pace of their opposition who interestingly had played 120 minutes just a day before.
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45′ +1
India get a freekick which is well taken by Miranda, Nabi plays it across the goal but Chhetri's acrobatic effort goes well wide. The ref saves Chhetri's blushes by blowing for a foul....
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It was around the hour mark that Jeje was allegedly brought down by Faisal Safa inside the box and referee Sukhbir Singh awarded a soft penalty to India. In the aftermath, goalkeeper Hameedullah Yousufzari was given marching orders for pushing the referee.
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70′
Oh! Goal disallowed for the intrusion of a Nirmal Chettri into the penalty area... Chhetri to take it again...
 71′
GOOALLL!!! This goal remains as Chhetri finds the mark yet again... 1-0 to India |
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The defending champions came alive only in the final 20 minutes after Yousefzari was sent-off. |
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78′
Afghanistan virtually playing with nine men with Safa receiving treatment on the sidelines...
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With a man down Afghanistan were always susceptible to concede more goals with Faisal Safa receiving treatment on the sidelines, Chhetri played Miranda who took a shot from his unfavoured right foot into the far side of the goal.
Chhetri ran with the ball from the left and laid the ball across for Jeje who from his second touch slotted the ball home.
Substitute Sushil Singh scored a gem of a goal as he scored a goal with the final kick of the match. |
Afghan were finding it difficult to keep up the tempo of the first session and looked content to hit on the counter. |
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Full Time
That's a very happy ending for Savio Medeira in his first tournament in charge of the team.
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Catch all the latest Live action and match highlights from SAFF Championship here
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