Talisman captain Sunil Chhetri scored twice to guide India to a 3-1 win over hosts Maldives in their final league match and enter the final of the SAIF Championship here on Wednesday.
Chhetri scored in the 62nd and 71st minutes when Manvir Singh gave India the lead in the match needed in the 33rd minute. Ali Ashfaq pulled back once for Maldives with a spot kick in the 45th minute.
The 37-year-old Chhetri, who was playing his 124th match, is just one goal shy of Argentine maestro Lionel Messi (80), who is the second-highest international goalscorer among active players after Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (115). .
Seven-time champions India, who topped the five-team table with eight points, will face Nepal in the final on October 16.
Nepal drew 1-1 with Bangladesh in the opening match of the day and finished second in the round-robin league with seven points.
India beat Nepal 1-0 in the league stage.
With a win over Maldives, India saved themselves from crashing for the final of the regional tournament, which would have been the country’s worst result in recent memory.
This will be India’s 12th final match.
India dominated the match and Chhetri almost gave India the lead in the 27th minute, but a header from a Brendon Fernandes corner hit the crossbar.
Ashfaq made a dangerous shot on the Indian goal in the 28th minute but was blocked by a defender.
Five minutes later, Manveer slammed the Maldivian goalkeeper on the nearby post to give India the lead.
Just before half time, Ashfaq scored from a penalty to level the Maldives.
India head coach Igor Stimac brought in nippy winger Udanta Singh in place of Brandon Fernandes in the 51st minute.
Soon after, India took the lead in the 62nd minute. An Apuia cross was shot down by Manveer for Chhetri to explode past the Maldivian net.
The Indian skipper scored his second goal of the day with a looping header that went into the opposition net in the 71st minute.
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