June 30, 2023 10:50 pm | Updated 10:50 pm IST - BENGALURU:One of the reasons the 2023 SAFF Championship welcomed two West Asian sides in Kuwait and Lebanon was to make the tournament more competitive. The India-Kuwait game on Tuesday fit the billing, and India nearly edged the contest before an unfortunate own goal denied it a famous win. Recent history suggests that India has the edge, having beaten Lebanon in the Intercontinental Cup final a fortnight ago and drawn the other group stage game in Bhubaneswar. However, against Lebanon, Chhetri & Co. will have to do without Sandesh Jhingan in defence and head coach Igor Stimac on the touchline. That will help us end the semifinal in a positive way.”In the other semifinal, Bangladesh will take on Kuwait.

Source: The Hindu June 30, 2023 20:35 UTC