Stepping up: Mahesh struck within the seventieth minute so as to add to Chhetri’s earlier aim.| Photo Credit: Ok. Murali Kumar

India huffed and puffed however ultimately pulled off a 2-0 win over Nepal within the SAFF Championship on the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday.

Second-half targets from skipper Sunil Chhetri and Naorem Mahesh secured India a semifinal spot, together with fellow Group-A facet Kuwait, which had overwhelmed Pakistan 4-0 earlier within the day.

India performed a scratchy first half. There had been as many as eight adjustments from the facet that thrashed Pakistan, with solely Chhetri, Anirudh Thapa and Sahal Abdul Samad retained. And confronted with a Nepal facet that was egged on by a vociferous crowd and was desirous to press from the get-go, the house gamers struggled for fluidity.

Either they had been keen to carry on to the ball and go solo, like Sahal did on a number of events, or botched passes like Thapa and Rohit Kumar. At one level, an exasperated Chhetri went on a lung-busting sprint to win a ball again, maybe to awaken his staff from the deep slumber it had slipped into, however to no avail.

It was Nepal that had the higher possibilities. The solely shot on course within the first interval belonged to Devendra Tamang, whose volley from exterior the penalty space drew a save from Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Bimal Magar fluffed a golden alternative from point-blank vary.

The second half began in the identical vogue, however simply as assistant coach Mahesh Gawli — standing in for Igor Stimac — was getting ready to wield the axe on just a few gamers, Chhetri struck within the 61st minute, handing over a low cross from Mahesh from the left flank.

The aim modified the complexion of the sport and India quickly doubled the benefit, with the ball entering into off Mahesh after a Chhetri shot from a good angle had bounced off the crossbar. It deflated Nepal and there was no approach again for Vincenzo Annese’s spirited wards.

The outcomes:

India 2 (Chhetri 61, Naorem Mahesh 70) bt Nepal 0; Kuwait 4 (Al Enezi 10, Al Faneni 17, 45, Al Rashedi 69) bt Pakistan.