Player Ratings: Suresh, Sahal perfect lieutenants for star-man Chhetri

All three players got on the scoresheet for India against Nepal in the SAFF Championship final.

India once again proved their supremacy in the SAFF Championship, as Igor Stimac's men breezed past Nepal in the final. It was a very different SAFF Championship for the Blue Tigers, as they struggled to create chances and score goals early on. But, they found ways to get back and came up with two great performances to lift the SAFF title once again.

It was Sunil Chhetri, who broke the deadlock in the second half and handed India the lead. Whereas Suresh Singh came up with a brilliant strike to double the lead in no time. Lastly, substitute Sahal Abdul Samad scored to make it 3-0. It was a very professional performance from India.

Here are the Indian player ratings from the SAFF Championship final against Nepal:

[KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu - 7.5

A proper outing for Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, as he made some saves here and there and commanded the penalty area with authority.

He conceded only two goals in this tournament, despite India's struggles early on. Moreover, none of them were from open play, which speaks volumes about his quality.

Pritam Kotal - 7.5

Igor Stimac has opted for Pritam Kotal in his usual right-back position for the entirety of the tournament. Kotal, who mostly plays a centre-back for his club, looked a little rusty defensively.

But, his attacking threat was once again there for everyone to see. He came up with an exceptional cross which broke the deadlock for India.

Rahul Bheke - 7.0

https://youtu.be/pDwOt8Q2vm4

It has not been easy for Rahul Bheke, who has played the entire tournament in a makeshift role in defence. Predominantly a right-back, Bheke slotted in at centre-back and did a decent job.

He goes through these phases of lapse in concentration, which becomes a major cause for concern. Today again, he did not start well, but gradually got going in the second half.

Chinglensana Singh - 7.5

Probably India's most consistent defender at the moment, Chinglensana Singh has grown in stature with every match. He is someone who likes to play passes and build from the back. In the tournament, he has shown that he also has a calm head on those shoulders.

Mandar Rao Dessai- 7.5

The experienced left-back did a reasonable job all throughout the tournament. It is such a blessing to have someone of Mandar's stature and experience in this team full of youngsters.

His overlapping runs and crosses were decent. but his delivery from corners was even better. Chhetri almost scored from one of his corners and they kept Nepal on their toes.

[KH_ADWORDS type="3" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

Anirudh Thapa - 7.0

Thapa under-performed just like the others in the first two matches. He was rusty and a lack of match practice was evident. But, as he got some minutes under his belt he kept improving.

Today he featured out wide on the left, mainly to provide more support to the inexperienced midfield. He did a pretty good job in finding the right passes and creating some play in the final third.

Lalengmawia - 8.0

One of India's brightest talents in midfield is gradually becoming one of the mainstays for the Blue Tigers. Lalengmawia did not start well in this tournament, but gradually got going for the Blue Tigers. His technique and ability to hold the ball allowed India to dominate the midfield, taking control of the game.

Suresh Singh - 7.5

An impactful performance from Suresh Singh, who handed India the insurance goal from Mohammad Yasir's excellent pass. Apart from his goal, he made some brilliant moves and was a handful for the Nepalese midfielders.

[KH_ADWORDS type="2" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

Mohammad Yasir - 8.0

India's left-footed genius has gone from strength to strength in every match and the final was no different. He created several chances by pulling out Nepalese defenders in the final third and creating space for Manvir Singh and Sunil Chhetri. He created the second goal for Suresh Singh.

Sunil Chhetri - 8.5

Probably India's most consistent performer in this tournament and over the years. Where would Indian football be without him? Chhetri once again stood up and scored the opening goal from a fine cross from Pritam Kotal. He could have scored another, as he wriggled past Nepalese defenders before his shot was saved by Kiran Limbu.

Manvir Singh- 7.0

Manvir probably would have liked to score a goal in the final. But, he somewhat carried the form from the Maldives game against Nepal and did fairly well to help India cross the line.

He was always on the move and was looking to combine with Chhetri. He had some good combinations with Yasir. Overall, it was a decent outing, but a goal would have been the icing on the cake.

Substitutions

Udanta Singh- 6.0

Replaced Mohammad Yasir in the 75th minute to mostly test the tired Nepalese defenders late in the game. He did a reasonable job.

Glan Martins- 6.0

Came on for Lalengmawia in the last quarter of the game and had a pretty comfortable outing, as India were in the driver's seat.

[KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News |ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS]

Rahim Ali- 6.5

Replaced Manvir Singh late in the game and played a crucial part in creating Sahal's goal.

Sahal Abdul Samad- 7.0

His nimble footwork and trickery were too much for the tired Nepal defenders, as he waltzed his way past them and then tucked it past Kiran Limbu to make it 3-0 for India.

Jeakson Singh- NA

Did not make a worthwhile impact.

For more football updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and join our community on Telegram.