Bhubaneswar: India booked a place in the Intercontinental Cup final following a 1-0 win over Vanuatu at Kalinga Stadium here on Monday evening.
Having beaten Mongolia 2-0 in their opening fixture, India sit atop the round-robin league standings with 6 points. They will face Lebanon on June 15 in the final league game, and even if they lose that one, the Sunil Chhetri-led team will feature in June 18 final.
Chhetri, who scored an 80th-minute winner against Vanuatu, appreciated the support that his team has been receiving in the Odisha capital, and urged even more fans to turn up for the remaining matches at Kalinga Stadium to encourage the national team.
Asked about the attendance in Monday’s game, Chhetri said, “I’ll now indulge my greed. The numbers are excellent, but I would love to see more people in the stadium.”
Explaining himself, the veteran striker added: “I’m asking because the nation is playing, and the boys are giving it their all. Please come if you have the time because the matches are enjoyable, and we are trying our best to make our country proud.”
Bhubaneswar resident Sai Shivdutt, a 24-year-old football fan, was thrilled to be among the crowd at Kalinga Stadium.
“I’ve been to this incredible stadium twice, the first time being during the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup (November 2022), and it appears even better and exciting this time. Watching the national team participate here in Bhubaneswar is an honour, and the mood has been very encouraging as the national team has crept closer to the finals,” said Sai.
Ranjit Parida, Joint Secretary, Sports & Youth Services Department, who presented Player-of-the-Match award to Chhetri, said: “International tournaments are often held here but this is a matter of great pride because Odisha has been a strong supporter of Indian football. Odisha fans cheer the loudest whenever the captain or any other national athlete scores. The Indian Team is enabling football to reach out to a larger audience than ever before, and we are pleased that it has been a huge success.”
