Nehru Cup 2012...

Initially launched in 1982, the Nehru Cup is an international football tournament organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). With teams like Uruguay, China and the former Soviet Union having participated in the competition in the past, Nehru Cup is indeed the biggest footballing spectacle that the sub-continent has to offer.

 The 15th edition of the prestigious Nehru Cup was held in New Delhi from August 22 to September 2 with the matches being played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Five teams invited by the AIFF were grouped together and were scheduled to play matches in a round-robin format. The teams that participated were hosts India, 2009 runners-up Syria, Maldives, Nepal and a Cameroon ‘B’ team.

India, being led by their new charismatic captain Sunil Chhetri, entered the competition as defending champions and the lowest FIFA ranked team at 167. Not only did Chhetri have the daunting task to fill in the boots of ex-captain and legendary Indian striker Baichung Bhutia, but he also had a reputation of being only the second Indian player to play in Europe to live up to.

India began their campaign against Syria on 22 August 2012, which was a rematch of the 2009 and 2007 Nehru Cup finals. Chhetri wasted no time in showing his unsullied skills when he scored a goal with a header in the added time of the first half. India went on to win the match 2-1 and made their intentions clear of defending the cup and become only the second team after the former Soviet Union to win it 3 times.

Chhetri was in no mood to show clemency in the completion as he scored a brace in India’s second match against the 161-ranked Maldives, which the hosts won 3-0. With one of the goals being a penalty, the Sporting Lisbon ‘B’ striker proved without a shadow of a doubt that his impeccable skills would surely elevate him as one the finest the country has ever seen.

India’s third match of the tournament was a 0-0 draw against the 162-ranked Nepalese team. The rain-marred match was highly criticised by experts with questions being raised on the viability and credibility of Indian football facilities. Many questioned the use of a ‘Super Sopper’ on the field at half-time, which led to the teams feeling uncomfortable and failing to get in the grove to score.

The penultimate match of India’s 2012 Nehru Cup campaign was a round-robin clash against Cameroon ‘B’, which was a dress rehearsal for the final. With skipper Chhetri rested before the finale, the Indian team never settled in as Cameroon took an early lead courtesy a flawless volley by young striker Samuel Bitte. The hosts went on to lose the encounter 1-0 thereby suffering their first loss of the competition.

The final took place on 2 September 2012 between the two teams with Cameroon ‘B’ heading into the match as clear cut favourites due to their previous victory. However, coached by former Netherlands international Wim Koevermans, team India sent the 12,000 people in Nehru Stadium in frenzy when central defender  Gourmangi Singh beat the off-side trap to head in an immaculate Clifford Miranda free-kick

Cameroon then replied strongly with clever possession play and frustrated the Indian team with their faultless passing. Their dedication paid off when Mackon Thierry equalised for them before star striker Stephane Kingue Mpondo gave the African team the lead in the 54th minute.

With all hope lost in the match, all eyes turned to Sunil Chhetri once again and the Indian captain did not disappoint as he converted a penalty in the 78th minute to open up the completion once again. Consequently, the match went into extra time and finally into a penalty shoot-out that ensured that a second final in two editions would be decided through penalties.

In the end, India defied odds by winning the penalty shootout 5-4 to lift the prestigious Nehru Cup for the third consecutive time and therefore came a step closer to etch their names in the record books.