Igor Stimac proving red-card addict

BENGALURU: Skipper Sunil Chhetri’s brilliance was once again marred by the indiscipline of India’s Croatian coach Igor Stimac, who received marching orders yet again, this time against Kuwait.


That, and an Anwar Ali own goal just as injury time kicked in, helped Kuwait force a 1-1 draw in extra time and top Group A here on Tuesday. The stalemate forced India to settle for the second spot in the group and is most likely to take on Lebanon in the semifinals.

It was Stimac’s second red card in as many games. He had seen a straight red in the opener against Pakistan and served a one-match suspension, sitting out of the Nepal match. On his return to the touchline, the Croat first got a yellow for handling the ball during a throw-in, then saw it later converted to a red after the fourth official conveyed another offence by the India coach to referee Alomgir of Bangladesh.

The fiercely-fought match was also marred by a scuffle towards the end which saw India’s Rahim Ali and Kuwait’s Hamad Al Qallaf being sent off. Chhetri’s superb strike, his 92nd international goal, in first half injury time put India on top but Ali was forced into a dreadful clearance following a fine Kuwaiti move. Trying to clear a cross, Ali deflected the ball into his own net. It was the first goal India conceded after eight clean sheets.

Later, even as India assistant coach Mahesh Gawli tried to whitewash the actions of his head coach squarely putting the blame on the referees, questions are being raised on Stimac’s discipline and temperament, a red flag with the Asian Cup looming in early 2024.

Returning after his red card against Pakistan, he remained true to twitter reaction: “I will do it again”. Indian football authorities were reportedly not amused with his bluster, and it remains to be seen if they will still turn a blind eye to Tuesday’s indiscretion. If it was a straight red in the first match, Tuesday’s red followed a yellow card caution which was given for a similar offence for which he was expelled against Pakistan.

“If you have such referees in SAFF Cup, the standards will drop,” Gawli said throwing his weight behind the coach, who was reluctant to leave the playing arena. “I don’t understand why he gave the first card. I didn’t understand this,” he added.

If Stimac’s yellow card looked a bit harsh, the second one could have been very well avoided had the India coach gone by the rule book. It was his constant chatter that got the attention of fourth referee Haque Arshad who then forced the referee to step in.

Results: India 1 (Chhetri 45+2) drew with Kuwait (Anwar Ali 90+2--OG). Pakistan 0 lost to Nepal 1 (Aashish Chaudhary 80).

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