India and Pakistan will face each other in the first match of the SAFF Championship 2023. This is one of the most anticipated games in South Asian football. You can get all the updates on the league on Khelosports.
The SAFF Championship is a tournament for eight teams from South Asia. They are India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. The tournament started in 1993 and happens every two years. But it was delayed in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
India will host the 14th edition of the SAFF Championship 2023 in Bengaluru, the state capital of Karnataka. The tournament will be played from June 21 to July 2 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, which has a capacity of 25,000 spectators. The stadium is also the home ground of Bengaluru FC, one of the most successful clubs in Indian football history.Â
The stadium is not new to international games. It was the venue for the 2018 Intercontinental Cup and the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
The opening match of the SAFF Championship will see India take on Pakistan in a Group A encounter. On Wednesday, June 21, the match will begin at 7:30 p.m. IST. The match will be broadcast live on DD Sports, the national sports channel of India.
The match will also be streamed live that provides live scores and updates of all major sports events across the world. Khelosports also offers news, analysis, videos, interviews, and features on various sports topics.
The RivalryÂ
India and Pakistan have a long and complicated history. They were one country under British rule until 1947. Then they split into two states based on religion.
The two countries have not been friendly since then. They have fought four wars and had many conflicts. They disagree on many things, like Kashmir, terrorism, nuclear weapons, and trade.
So the game between them is more than just football. It is a battle of two rivals.
The match between India and Pakistan is also a rare occasion, as the two teams do not play each other often due to diplomatic and security reasons. India beat Pakistan 3-1 in their last game. It was in 2018 at the SAFF Championship in Bangladesh.
Manvir Singh, Sumit Passi, and Ashique Kuruniyan scored for India. Before that, the two teams had not played each other since 2013 at the same tournament in Nepal, where India won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Sunil Chhetri.
India’s Strengths and Expectations
- India won the last SAFF Championship, and they are hosting it this time. The tournament happens every two years. Eight teams from South Asia play in it.
- India has won the tournament a record eight times, including the last three editions that was held in India. Â
- India is much higher than Pakistan in the FIFA rankings. They are 94 places ahead of them. So India expected to win the match and have a good start.Â
- India coach Igor Stimac is careful about Pakistan. He liked how they played against Kenya in a tournament in Maldives. He said Pakistan has some players who grew up abroad and are better than their ranking shows.
- Stimac also said India is getting ready for the AFC Asian Cup in 2025. That is their main target. The SAFF Championship 2023 is a good chance to test their players and plans.
- India has a good team with some of the best players in the country. Sunil Chhetri is the captain and the top scorer for India with 77 goals. India also has some young stars like Liston Colaco, Ashique Kuruniyan, Anirudh Thapa, and Ishan Pandita.
- They have done well in India and abroad. Sandesh Jhingan and Pritam Kotal are the main defenders for India. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is the best goalkeeper.Â
Pakistan’s Challenges and Hopes
Pakistan is looking to cause an upset and register their first win over India since 2005. The team have not had much success in the SAFF Championship, as they have never won the title and have reached the final only once, in 1997.
They also ranked 200th in the FIFA rankings, making them the lowest-ranked team in the tournament. They has also faced some visa issues that delayed their arrival in India and disrupted their preparations.
The coach Jose Antonio Nogueira knows that India is a hard team to beat. But he believes that his players will try their best and fight hard.Â
He said that Pakistan has some good players like Hassan Bashir, Muhammad Ali, and Zainul Abideen Ishaque. They can do well on the field. Nogueira also said that Pakistan is aiming to qualify for the semifinals of the SAFF Championship 2023 and improve their ranking.
Significance and Impact of the Match
The game between India and Pakistan is going to attract a lot of attention from fans and the media. Many people will come to the stadium to watch the game live, and many more will tune in to their television sets or online platforms to follow the action.
The game is not just a football match, but a clash between two nations that share a complex and tense relationship due to various issues. The match will be a chance for both teams to display their football talent and also to send a message of peace and harmony through sports.
Conclusion
Fans can watch this exciting game live on Khelosports. It is a website that shows live scores and news of big sports events around the world. Khelosports also provides news, analysis, videos, interviews, and features on various sports topics. Khelosports is your one-stop destination for all your sports needs.
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