Sunil Chhetri races to 91 international goals: Decoding his stats
Indian football team skipper Sunil Chhetri played a crucial role, helping his side beat Nepal 2-0 in the 2023 SAFF Championship on Saturday in Bengaluru. It was Chhetri who scored India's opener in the second half and then played a key role in the second for Naorem Mahesh Singh. Chhetri has now scored in three successive games for India in all competitions. Here's more.
Chhetri races to 91 goals
Chhetri now has 91 goals for India. Before this, Chhetri scored a hat-trick against Pakistan in the previous Group A match. Notably, Chhetri also helped India win the Intercontinental Cup, scoring against Lebanon in the final. Chhetri, who is the fourth-highest scorer in men's international football, is behind Portugal ace Cristiano Ronaldo (123), former Iran star Ali Daei (109), and Argentina's Lionel Messi (103).
Breaking down Chhetri's 91 goals for India
SAFF Championship: Matches 24, Goals 22 FIFA WCQ: Matches 19, Goals 9 Nehru Cup: Matches 14, Goals 9 Asian Cup Qualifiers: Matches 12, Goals 8 Intercontinental Cup: Matches 11, Goals 13 AFC Challenge Cup: Matches 8, Goals 4 AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers: Matches 6, Goals 3 AFC Asian Cup: Matches 5, Goals 4 King's Cup: Matches 1, Goals 1 Friendlies: Matches 39, Goals 18
SAFF Championship: Chhetri is closing in on Ali Ashfaq
Chhetri is the second-highest scorer in SAFF Championship history. He is one of the two players with 20-plus goals in the tourney. Chhetri has 22 goals and is only behind Maldives's Ali Ashfaq (23). Bhaichung Bhutia is third with 12 goals.
India pip Nepal 2-0, qualify for semis
The Indian football team claimed a second successive win in the 2023 SAFF Championship campaign with a 2-0 win against Nepal. After a goalless first half, India scored two quick goals to claim a massive win. India and Kuwait have advanced to the semis. Notably, India and Kuwait will face each other in the last group game. Earlier today, Kuwait thumped Pakistan 4-0.
