India vs Afghanistan: Sunil Chhetri scores in his 150th match
The talismanic striker has a knack of scoring in milestone matches
image for illustrative purpose
India's football icon, Sunil Chhetri, scored the opening goal for the team in the FIFA World Cup Qualifier match against Afghanistan, held in Guwahati on Tuesday. Despite Chhetri's standout performance, India faced a 1-2 defeat to the visiting team. This significantly narrows down the chances of India reaching the third round.
Chhetri, playing his 150th match for India, scored from the spot in the 36th minute after Islam Amiri was guilty of a handball inside the box. The Indian skipper calmly slotted the ball into the net as India took the lead.
However, Akbari and Sharif Mukhammad scored in quick time to pull the plug on the home team’s hopes.
The Indian skipper has had a knack for scoring in milestone matches. He scored in his first match against Pakistan, 50th match against Malaysia, 100th match versus Kenya, 125th match versus Nepal, and now, in his 150th match against Afghanistan.
Earlier, on the eve of the match, Chhetri said it was a surreal feeling to represent India in 150 matches. “When I started, it never occurred to me that I could play for the country one day. In fact, even a few days back, I was not aware that I was on the verge of such a record. When you pause and think about it, it’s an unbelievable feat. I’m very fortunate, extremely thankful, and highly privileged to be in this state. I think I’m the only one to play 150 games for the country in India. I’m really fortunate that I got such an opportunity,” Chhetri told the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in a chat.
The striker hoped that his monumental achievement would inspire youngsters to work hard to achieve their goals. “I just hope that I can inspire young players to give their best and keep going. It’s probably evident that if you keep working hard and try to do the right things, you can achieve a lot. I’m not very special in a holistic manner. A lot of boys are very talented here, so if you keep working hard, you can have a long career,” he added.
Just before the India vs. Afghanistan match began, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey presented Chhetri with a jersey, which was signed by all the Indian players and support staff. Chaubey said he was proud to witness such a moment in Indian football.
