WATCH | Three red and two yellow cards, tempers flare in India-Kuwait SAFF Championship match
Igor Stimac, the Indian team's head coach, was shown a red card once again in a span of two games, in the SAFF Championship match against Kuwait on Tuesday. Around the hour mark, the match official warned Stimac for his incessant protests of the referee's handling of the game.
It wasn't just him who got a red card, but India's Anwar Ali and Kuwait's Al Khalaf went sent off the field. It all started in the 64th minute when Stimac was shown a yellow card first when he interfered in the play and picked up the ball. Then later in the 81st minute, the referee showed him the exit door, for being too aggressive on the sidelines. Interestingly, this is the Indian coach's second red card in the tournament, with the first one coming against Pakistan.
Post that, he was absent from the field during the match against Nepal, and this will be the same in the semis. It did not end there. In the additional time, after Khalaf pushed Abdul Samad, Anwar Ali pushed the Kuwaiti then. Both players were awarded red cards.
Clearly rattled with the happenings on the field, Anwar Ali conceded an own goal which equalised the score 1-1. Unfortunately, the matter didn't end there as the Kuwaiti players charged to the Indian bench, and got two more yellow cards.
How hot is it in Bengaluru?
— Akshata Shukla (@shukla_akshata) June 27, 2023
WTH is happening 🙈😂 pic.twitter.com/CMsBFesyNd
Phadda 🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Umair (@umairrr_20) June 27, 2023
We indians love you soo much coach sahab @stimac_igor ♥️👏🏻 you are so much better then Dravid 👏🏻🔥🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/yHu9P0RJmF