India vs Pakistan results: 4-0 win for Blue Tigers in SAFF Championship 2023 opener

India vs Pakistan results: India hammered their bitter rivals Pakistan 4-0 in the opening game of the SAFF Championship 2023. Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri scored a hat-trick, taking his international goalscoring tally to 90 goals, and furthering a remarkable tally for the veteran forward. 

On the other hand, India have got off to a brilliant start in the SAFF Championship, with three points in the bag and a goal difference of +4. They will now be expected to win the group, ahead of Nepal and Kuwait who are also in Group A. 

India vs Pakistan results: Sunil Chhetri scores hat-trick to secure 4-0 win 

The Intercontinental Cup winners were on the front foot right from the get go, and Chhetri helped the team go 2-0 up very early in the game. 

Pakistan goalkeeper Saqib Hanif made a huge error which led to the first goal. He recently had another mistake against Djibouti, causing an unlucky streak. Chhetri had the easiest of chances to score and would have never missed. The forward then stepped up to convert from the penalty spot after a handball decision led to a penalty for India. 

India head coach Igor Stimac was sent off for swatting the ball away from a Pakistan player’s hands after he lifted it up for a throw-in. His direct involvement in the game caused the players to break into an altercation. And later on, the referee sent him off after showing him a red card. 

However, that did little to turn the tides for Pakistan, who were unable to register a single shot on target throughout the game. Chhetri stepped up once again to score from the penalty spot for the second time, completing his hat-trick in the process. Late in the game, Udanta Singh scored the fourth goal for India after being found with a brilliant ball over the defence. 

Pakistan had several opportunities, but a lack of clinical finishing allowed India to register another dominant win with a clean sheet over their rivals. After the massive India vs Pakistan opener, there will be doubts about whether they will make it out of the group.