Why Chhetri didn’t celebrate wildly after hattrick vs Taipei
MUMBAI: Indian captain Sunil Chhetri scored his third-career hat-trick in India’s 5-0 thumping of Chinese Taipei in the Intercontinental Cup but it did not invoke a wild celebration from India’s all-time top scorer.
When asked what might bring about a fiery and more exuberant celebration, he said that while he does not take scoring for granted, he does not feel the need to “celebrate outrageously”.
The game at the Mumbai Football Arena, that also marked a 99th cap for Chhetri, who netted his 59th international goal to bring up the hat-trick in the second half, was followed by a humble celebration with his teammates and fans.
“A goal at the Asian Games, at the Asian Cup, a goal that might help us qualify against Bahrain are goals that might rouse a more wild celebration, Chhetri said. “I will jump and hug and shout and come and hug somebody.
“Many people have asked me this, and to say again, I am very happy when I score. I do not take it for granted. I am very fortunate to score so many goals for my club and country. I am very happy from the inside and it’s just that I don’t celebrate outrageously like Robin Singh.”
“Right now though, Udanta comes to my mind. I am fond of him and he scored his first goal so I went up and said “congratulations kid” and he said ‘58 to go’. So I take my goals very seriously and the day I score against Bahrain and we qualify, trust me, I will jump,” added the 33-year-old.
ROLE MODEL?
When questioned on how he feels about the possibility of many young players across India and the world looking up to him as a role model, Chhetri said that he is not at the ‘stature’ so as to demand such adoration.
“I don’t look at my career as someone to follow because I busy worrying about my own stuff right now. I don’t think I am at that stature that people, especially from other countries would follow me. If they do, then I am obliged and privileged,” he said.
“We are talking like this because we won 5-0. If he had lost then you’ll would be abusing me, so I have this stuff to think about. Maybe in 20 years when I have retired we can think about this and how many people I have inspired or motivated.”
KENYA TRIUMPH
MUMBAI: Kenya played an attacking brand of football to register a come-from-behind victory as they outclassed a superior New Zealand 2-1 in an Intercontinental Cup match on Saturday.
While Sarpreet Singh (42nd minute) put the ‘All Whites’ into lead, Miheso Cliffton (45 + 1 minutes) equalised for the African nation. In the second half, Ovella Ochieng (68th minute) scored the winner at the Mumbai Football Areana.
Sarpreet broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute with a curling left-footer, which dipped into the far right-corner. But, Kenya came back strongly in the additional time of the first half, as Cliffton’s swerving free-kick restored parity.