World Cup Qualifier: Skipper Sunil Chhetri signs off in style, gives one last message to media
Over the last 19 years, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with so many of you, on more than a few occasions.
Indian captain of the Football team Sunil Chhetri is perhaps the happiest and the proudest man on the planet after the Blue Tigers put up a courageous show against much higher ranked and Asian Champions Qatar. India restricted the higher-ranked opponent to a goalless draw in Round 2 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 joint qualifiers in Doha.
Chhetri, who was not available for selection because of fever, took to Twitter to express his happiness and pride after India earned the first point on the points tally.
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“Dear India, that is my team and those are my boys! Cannot describe how proud I am at this moment. Not a big result for the table, but in terms of a fight, as big as it can get. Huge credit to the coaching staff and the dressing room,” Chhetri tweeted.
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Dear India, THAT is my team and THOSE are my boys! Cannot describe how proud I am at this moment. Not a big result for the table, but in terms of a fight, as big as it can get. Huge credit to the coaching staff and the dressing room. #QATIND
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) September 10, 2019
Star Indian shot-stopper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who played the match of his life between the poles, was also indeed very proud of how India performed in the match and gave their best against the Asian Champions.
“I feel extremely proud of the team for our performance against Qatar,” Sandhu was quoted as saying by the official website of the All India Football Federation.
“The team-effort helped us achieve the result. It will help us immensely in the qualifiers,” he added.
After a heartbreaking defeat in the first match against Oman in Guwahati, the draw against Qatar has endured that India get their first points on the board. Despite the draw, Qatar are still leading the group with four points from a couple of matches while India are at the fourth place with one point from two matches.
India are set to host Bangladesh in their next match of the qualifiers which will take place on 15 October.
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