India beat Afghanistan to win SAFF title

 

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3 Skipper Sunil Chhetri struck in extra-time to enable India claim their seventh SAFF Championship title by defeating a spirited Afghanistan 2-1 in a hard fought final here on Sunday.

Sunil Chhetri scored the decisive goal for India in the 11th minute of extra-time when he capitalised on a defensive lapse by the visitors. 

Earlier, the two teams were locked 1-1 after the regulation 90 minutes in a match which saw fast, end to end action with plenty of chances at both ends.

Zubayr Amiri (70th minute) put Afghanistan in front before Jeje Lalpekhlua (72nd) put India back in the game.

Afghanistan were the defending champions. They had defeated India 2-0 in the final of the last edition in Kathmandu in 2013.