India lifted the Intercontinental Cup as it tamed a young Lebanon side by two second-half goals at the Kalinga Stadium. India beat Lebanon 2-0 in the Intercontinental Cup final at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar to win the title. Sunil Chhetri’s 46th minute goal broke the deadlock before Lallianzuala Chhangte made it 2-0 in the 66th minute as India beat Lebanon for the first time since 1977.
India made a strong start to the match, dominating 57% possession in the first half. It was in the first minute of second half that the deadlock was broken, with Lallianzuala Chhangte providing an assist for Sunil Chhetri. Chhangte turned scorer in the 66th minute as India increased their lead. This was also the Indian team’s sixth consecutive clean sheet, equalling a record dating back to 1952. This is India’s first win over Lebanon since 1977.
All About the Intercontinental Cup
There are two Intercontinental Cups in football. One was an annual competition between the winners of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores, from 1960 to 2004. The other is a four-nation tournament organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in India, from 2018 to present.
Intercontinental Cup (1960-2004)
The Intercontinental Cup was an annual football competition between the winners of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores, from 1960 to 2004. It was the first world club championship, and was considered to be the most prestigious club competition in the world until the FIFA Club World Cup was inaugurated in 2000.
The Intercontinental Cup was contested in a two-legged format, with the home and away matches being played at the respective teams’ stadiums. In the event of a draw after both legs, the match was decided by extra time and penalties. The Intercontinental Cup was won by European teams 22 times, South American teams 10 times, and there were 2 draws. The most successful team in the competition was Real Madrid, which won the trophy 7 times. The Intercontinental Cup was discontinued in 2004, when it was replaced by the FIFA Club World Cup.
Intercontinental Cup (India)
The Intercontinental Cup is a four-nation football tournament organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in India, from 2018 to present. The tournament is held in the month of June, and is used as a preparation tournament for the India national team for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualification matches.
The Intercontinental Cup is contested by four teams, which are invited by the AIFF. The teams are usually from different confederations, and the tournament is used to promote international football in India.
The Intercontinental Cup has been won by India twice, in 2018 and 2022. The other winners of the tournament are North Korea (2019) and Tajikistan (2021).
The 2023 Intercontinental Cup was held in Bhubaneswar, India, from 11 to 18 June 2023. The participating teams were India, Lebanon, Syria, and Tajikistan. India won the tournament, defeating Lebanon in the final.
