Sunil Chhetri thanks fans for the support through a heartfelt tweet

The Indian captain became the only second player to appear in 100 international games for India.

Sunil Chhetri earned a lot of praises after he posted the video asking fans to support the team, and he did not disappoint them as they took on Kenya yesterday.

The Indian captain scored a brace as India defeated Kenya 3-0 at the Mumbai Sports Arena. He scored a penalty and ended the game with a terrific chip over the keeper in extra time, providing a poetic ending to a historic game in Indian football. Chhetri also became the third highest international goalscorer among active footballers.

On a day when rain halted life in Mumbai, thousands of people thronged to the Mumbai Sports Arena. The stadium was sold out on the day of the match, and the support of the crowd was an epitome of the impact Chhetri’s video made on the people of the country.

India’s performance was solid from the very start till the very end. Sandesh Jhingan impressed the crowd with an acrobatic bicycle clearance and was a wall in the defence, which deservedly earned him the hero of the match. Sunil Chhetri opened the goal-scoring in the second half, and Jeje Lalpekhlua soon doubled up the lead. In extra time, Chhetri scored through counter-attack and ended the game in emphatic fashion, through a chip over the keeper.

Also read: Sunil Chhetri – The Hero of Indian football

The Indian captain has now scored 61 goals in 100 games for the country.

Sunil Chhetri’s tweet:

After the win, the captain took to Twitter to express his gratitude and love to Indian fans for coming out in huge numbers. “We promise you that if that’s the kind of support we get every time we play for the country, we will give our lives on the pitch,” he said.

Here is the full tweet:

We promise you that if that’s the kind of support we get every time we play for the country, we will give our lives on the pitch. India, this night was special because we were in this together. Those in the stands shouting, and the ones at home cheering – thank you!

— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) June 4, 2018