SAFF Championship: Indian football on the rise with a settled squad and a never-say-die attitude

SAFF Championship: Indian football on the rise with a settled squad and a never-say-die attitude. The recent title wins in the Intercontinental Cup and SAFF Championship, just six months away from the AFC Asian Cup, will boost India’s confidence. India’s SAFF Championship triumph here, Igor Stimac was brusque in terming the victory as a not-so-important milestone in India’s journey towards the AFC Asian Cup.

Late on Tuesday night, after India’s SAFF Championship triumph here, Igor Stimac was brusque in terming the victory as a not-so-important milestone in India’s journey towards the AFC Asian Cup.

There is some merit in it, for the marquee continental competition is more than six months away and India, over the coming months, will test itself in two better-quality four-nation events – King’s Cup (Thailand) and Merdeka Tournament (Malaysia). It may also be Stimac’s way of not letting his players get ahead of themselves.

But the fortnight was not without gains for India. The campaign – along with the Intercontinental Cup success in Bhubaneswar – has helped assemble a settled squad, develop a progressive style of play and instil a never-say-die attitude.

“When we joined the camp [ahead of the Intercontinental Cup], we were a bit jittery because of the long year we had had,” captain Sunil Chhetri had said before the SAFF Championship semifinal against Lebanon.

“It took us about a week, and after that we were enjoying the camp. Now, after the one-and-half months, the combinations, the camaraderie, the brotherhood is at the peak. Having done all the hard work, we don’t want to let it go.”

This cohesiveness could be seen across the pitch as well. In defence, India conceded just twice in nine matches across two tournaments. Five of these games came against solid West Asian opponents in Kuwait and Lebanon.

Under the guidance of the experienced trio of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh (both goalkeepers) and Sandesh Jhingan, the likes of Anwar Ali (centre-back), Nikhil Poojary and Akash Rai (both fullbacks) prospered.