Sunil Chhetri is always keen to describe the Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru as a fortress. And during India’s penalty shootout win over Lebanon in the 2023 SAFF Championship semifinal, it was easy to see why.

A goalless affair on paper, India’s victory owed a lot to the 19,640-strong crowd that thronged the stands – Gurpreet Singh Sandhu soaking in the cheers with typical nonchalance at the end as India’s penalty saving hero; but the grief-stricken Lebanese players also wilting under the pressure of the cauldron of boos the Kanteerava created as they stepped up.

Jeetega bhai jeetega, India jeetega – for years this chant has been sung in hope rather than certainty, especially when it comes to Indian football. Yet, as it rang out in the Kanteerava during the match, that there was certainty attached to it shows how far Igor Stimac’s side have come. India were favourites against a Lebanon side they had only recently leapfrogged in the FIFA rankings, expected to join Kuwait, who had earlier huffed-and-puffed their way to the final.

The opening 15 minutes however… were all Lebanon. Zein Al-Farran and Nader Matar missed glorious chances to give the visitors the lead, as India were under siege. Aleksandar Ilic, Lebanon’s head coach, was facing India for the third time in a month and had done his homework.

After the game, both him and India’s assistant coach, Mahesh Gawli, noted Lebanon had shut down India’s wings to start the game, and were swift in their transitions. “They had a plan – the first 15 mins they were very fast, very quick… and we were sloppy,” was how Gawli would describe the frantic opening to the game. Yet, the fortress held firm, and Gurpreet’s goal was left undisturbed as the siege was withstood.

That India wrestled control after the game thereafter is perhaps a testimony to Stimac and his coaching staff, who have fed confidence into their charges along with team psychologist Shayamal Vallabhjee, who Gawli later credited with helping the team as well as the coaches.

India grew into the game and arguably ought to have taken the lead in the first half via Jeakson Singh, who opted to pass instead of shooting when put through on goal by Chhetri. After the instant groan from the stands, there was applause as the Kanteerava were enthused by what they witnessed, which was amplified later when Gurpreet pulled off a stunning save from Hassan Maatouk’s free-kick to ensure a goalless first half.

The two teams had specialised in goalless halves (three in the Intercontinental Cup) and now proceeded to add another two to their tally as both sides spurned plenty of chances to take the lead. Extra time brought with it another of fortress Kanteerava’s favourite sons, Udanta Singh, who took India to another level with his direct running.

Chhetri, of all people, spurned a glorious chance from Udanta’s cross with the goal at his mercy, while the winger himself had the crowd in awe after a dazzling run through the middle that was eventually blocked by the Lebanese defence.

The visitors were visibly wilting in the cauldron, while India’s legs continued to traverse every blade of Bengaluru grass. Later, Gawli would explain why India were able to see off 120 minutes with relative ease, saying “Our strength & conditioning coach, Luka [Radman] did a wonderful job maintaining the fitness. They played 120 mins without injuries… if you see them no cramps, no injuries, nothing.”

Lebanon had given up the ghost by this point and were resorting to time-wasting, but even that was looked upon positively by the Indian team. Gurpreet was keen to point this out later, saying “Making teams bow down and waste time is something which we have not done before – it’s something I’m really proud of.”

In truth, Lebanon need not have bothered with the time-wasting – for all of India’s endeavour and pizzazz in the build-up, their finishing boots had clearly been left at home. The goal-nets would have been left their pristine selves had this game gone on for another 120 minutes. It would take penalties to separate the two sides.

“In those situations as a keeper, all I want to do is make the guy who’s shooting not have an easy job to beat me. Stay big until the last moment, just choose a side and if the ball comes, great, try to touch it and the rest will be taken care of.” Gurpreet’s almost detached indifference to the penalty-taking process was in stark contrast to the crowd – who raised the roof ahead of every Indian penalty taker – and booed every Lebanese player as they stepped up.

Chhetri, Anwar Ali, Mahesh Singh and Udanta all struck pitch-perfect penalties. Gurpreet would admit that knowing his teammates are “good penalty takers” allows him to excel at the other end. And excel he did, stretching low to deny Hassan Maatouk, Lebanon’s version of Chhetri, and guessing correctly twice thereafter.

There was only one certainty when Khalil Bader stepped up as the crowd unleashed perhaps their strongest round of boos. Gurpreet, almost appearing larger in goal as if feeding off from the energy in the stands, witnessed Bader blaze well over, the ball soaring into the Bengaluru night sky and propelling India to their ninth consecutive SAFF Championship final.

Come Tuesday night, Stimac will hope the Kanteerava remains the unbreachable fortress once more, with Gurpreet it’s bulwark. For the prize is an unprecedented one – a third piece of silverware for India in a calendar year.