Being a national-level footballer and a die-hard football enthusiast, it was sad to note that I had not attended a single live match as a fan. I know, TV gives better views, close-ups, action replays and commentary for better understanding of the game, but there is something about the charged atmosphere of the stadium which resonates with your heartbeat. I got the golden opportunity to experience a live football match in 2023; the final of the 2023 Bangabandhu SAFF Championship.
South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) organises a biennial championship for eight teams. This year, the nomenclature included “Bangabandhu” for sponsorship reasons. The title sponsor hailed from Bangladesh (Bashundhara Group), hence the naming after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first President of Bangladesh, popularly known as “Bangabandhu.” The event was held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore (the home ground of Bengaluru FC), from 21 June to 4 July, 2023. India has been the most successful team, winning nine titles, with the highest goal scorer (no prizes for guessing) being the captain of the Blue Tigers, Sunil Chhetri. Despite being the defending champions, the competition was not easy for the home team, with the inclusion of invited teams Lebanon (highest ranked) and Kuwait adding the much needed toughness. India sailed through the group stage, with the solitary stalemate against Kuwait. The semi final against Lebanon proved to be the first litmus test of preparedness, which was passed with flying colours. Thank god, because it made my purchase of the ticket for the final worthwhile.
As a PhD student researching in the field of Quantum Optics, I was selected to present my work at Photonics 2023, an international conference which was held at IISc Bangalore during the same period as the SAFF Championship. This meant that my travel and stay in Bangalore was fully-funded, a lucky coincidence indeed! Upon entering the stadium complex on the most eagerly-awaited day, the final vs (once again) Kuwait, the excitement and enthusiasm of the fans made me optimistic about the progress we are making as a sporting nation, since all these people turned up for a match other than cricket. As I was not familiar with the geography of the complex, I realised that I had booked tickets for East Block, whereas, the better option would have been West Block, since all the celebratory functions were facing that end. Another lapse was carrying a camera. It turned out that cameras and bags were not allowed, but there was no information about it anywhere! On top of it, there was no cloak room facility! Fortunately for me, I had booked a half day taxi, and I was able to keep it safely there.
The match kicked off, and so did the drums and trumpets of the fans to cheer on the players. While the amplitude did get to a point of bursting my ear drum, I do not particularly mind any form of celebration, as long as we remain dignified. I strongly feel we need to evolve as humanity to accept decisions which may not be favourable to us. Chanting (pardon the profanity) “f*ck off referee, f*ck off” is not cool. With the progress of the match, both sides created pressure and chances for attack, and it was Kuwait which drew the first blood sending the entire stadium into pin drop silence. The equaliser just before half time got everyone back up on their feet, and it ended in a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time. The teams were so well-matched that the scoreline remained unperturbed even after added time, and it all boiled down to a penalty shootout to decide the outcome. Despite the atmosphere of nerves, everyone took heart from the semi final victory on penalties. It was time for the wall, keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to stand up once again. And rise up to the occasion he did, like a true hero. It went down to the wire, into a nail biting sudden death. As Sandhu stopped the Kuwait captain, the crowd roared into rapturous applause. Winning is a feeling which is shared with all, the players, staff, Government and fans.
India under Igor Stimac had a good run of performance in 2023. The team entered SAFF Championship on the back of successful victories in the Hero Intercontinental Cup and Tri-Nation Tournament. Winning the SAFF Championship completed the hat trick, Furthermore, India has been the most illustrious team in the history of SAFF Championship. This demonstrates that we are heading into the right direction, but we cannot get complacent or satisfied with just this. We have a long way ahead, to achieve the holy grail of FIFA World Cup qualification. We have miles to go before we sleep… Let us ring in 2024 with a promise to provide greater support to football.
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