Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's golden gloves lift the baton for India when rest fall flat against Lebanon | SAFF Championship 2023

The whole of the Sree Kanteerava, all of the 19,640 fans draped in the Indian blues, let out a sigh in unison in the 96th minute of extra time when Sunil Chhetri's miscued volley ascended over the crossbar.

Playing at the stadium that he'd called 'home' for over a decade now, running on the blades of grasses that had kissed his boots a million times, on most days, even with his eyes masked, you'd expect the talisman to pump home those chances at will. But Saturday was a little different.

None of Chhetri's lung-busting runs or Lallianzuala Chhangte's dazzling footwork could transmogrify into the desired final product for the Blue Tigers. The ominous clouds of agony besieged the stadium as the Lebanon challenge in the SAFF Championship semi-final increasingly like a Herculean task.

These were the ties India had often faltered in previously or bet the bottom dollar on Chhetri's brilliance to shine through.

En route to scoring five goals in the tournament already, the 38-year-old had just seemingly exhausted his magic dust. But there was another man at the other end of the pitch, who had some spare dust to rub on his gloves before the kick-off or so it seemed.

Since breaking into the national team's starting lineup, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu too has been a reliable performer. Tucked in between the sticks for 90 minutes, he often sits away from the limelight as most goalkeepers do.

But we already know, tonight was a little different. Right from the first whistle Aleksandar Ilic's well-marshaled Lebanon side cautioned the hosts, they were here for vengeance.

---

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu makes a string of saves against Lebanon to lift India into the SAFF Championship final

Losing out in the Intercontinental Cup final and then falling behind in the FIFA rankings definitely didn't please the Cedars and they didn't try to hide it. Nader Matar's early effort, which wriggled just wide off the post, had already sent the warning bells ringing.

With Sandesh Jhingan serving a one-match suspension for accumulated yellow cards, the hosts' heavily-altered backline gave the impression of nerviness. In the eighth minute, the surge from Lebanon was far more lethal. Zein Farran, set through inside the box, found himself at the end of a one-on-one situation with Gurpreet.

Extending his frame to the fullest, the Indian numero uno pushed out the opponent's goal-ward effort with a strong right hand. As he kept gobbling up those strikes from Lebanon attackers one after the other, there was a spring in his step. The kind that makes you reach unthinkable heights. And Gurpreet Singh Sandhu needed to.

Presented with a free-kick opportunity in the 42nd minute, Hassan Maatouk, Lebanon's most able attacking outlet, with his eyes transfixed on the top corner of the Indian goal frame, whipped in a curling effort. The 31-year-old custodian, having judged the flight of the ball with all his wisdom, put on his Superman cape to punch away the ball with the most Hollywood-esque posture.

After the abysmal display in the opening exchanges, India had no right to go into the half-time break at level begging, but neither did Gurpreet have the right to pull off those stops.

The Blue Tigers were much more in control throughout the second half and the entirety of the extra time. They created plenty of chances but none of the strikers seemed to wear their shooting boots. But even as the game rolled into the dreaded penalty shootouts, Gurpreet had all the right pair of boots and gloves, seemingly.

The defending champions placed their bets in the penalties well, with skipper Chhetri shouldering the pressure of the opening spot-kick. Although Ali Sabeh got a touch on the ball, the strike had enough venom to find its way into the back of the net.

With the Kanteerava roaring in celebration and jeering in unison, Hassan Maatouk stepped up to take the first penalty for Lebanon. In between sticks stood the ever-growing stature of Gurpreet Sandhu, as he soaked in all the affection and benediction.

Maatouk's penalty was jittery, but the Bengaluru FC stopper prowled on it with the vigor of a tiger and punched it away. Finally, the hosts had a breakthrough of sorts and capitalized on it. Anwar Ali, Naorem Mahesh Singh, and Udanta Singh converted their chances with monk-like panache while Khalil Bader skied his effort to send India through the SAFF Championship final.

The limelight had steered away from everyone else for a moment and was transfixed on all of Gurpreet's 6.5-foot frame that was now cloaked in a pile of sweat-stained bodies. As everyone dispersed, he rose from the pile with a gigantic smile on his face.

The cream always rises to the top but Gurpreet Singh Sandhu rises to the top corner and just punches it away!