Indian cricket’s Test captain Virat Kohli has congratulated the national football team and lavished praise on skipper Sunil Chhetri for leading the side to a record seventh SAFF Cup triumph.
India exacted sweet revenge of their last edition defeat as they beat defending champions Afghanistan 2-1 in the summit clash in a dominating display to lift the South Asian Football Federation Cup in Thiruvananthapuram last night.
“Congratulations Team India for lifting the SAFF cup for the 7th time. That extra time winner from @chetrisunil11 was mind blowing!” Kohli wrote on his twitter handle.
The 27-year-old star batsman co-owns the FC Goa franchise in the Indian Super League (ISL).
India, who had lost to Afghanistan 0-2 in the final of 2013 edition in Kathmandu, were clearly the better side in the final match between the two best teams of the regional tournament though they had to come back from a one-goal deficit and had to settle the match in the extra time through Chhetri’s brilliance.
Jeje Lalpekhlua (72nd minute) and Chhettri (101th) scored for India after Zubayr Amiri had given Afghanistan the lead in the 69th minute at the Greenfield Stadium.