JOIN USThe class of a player is usually characterised by how they perform under pressure and Bengaluru FC's skipper Sunil Chhetri underlined it with a glorious performance in a crunch semifinal fixture at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Sunday.
Chhetri's first hat-trick (15th, 65th and 89th minutes) for his club powered them to the final in their debut season in the Indian Super League as they defeated FC Pune City 3-1 in the second leg of their semifinal. The first leg in Pune had ended goalless and on Sunday, BFC seized their chance in front of their home fans. With Chhetri striking at vital moments, Pune could not get a toehold on the game and bowed out of the tournament.
The final is scheduled at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on March 17 and the Blues will be favourites to lift the title when they play either FC Goa or Chennayin FC, who meet in the second leg of the other semifinal on Tuesday.
A man known to step up when it matters, Chhetri garnered lavish praise from both the coaches. BFC's Albert Roca said: "Sunil is an outstanding player. I don't know how to describe him! Age is just a number for him. Apart from being a great player, he's an amazing person as well."
Roca's opposite number Ranko Popovic called him the best Indian player he had seen.
"Chhetri is big match player and he has proven that today. In my opinion, he's the best Indian player I have seen," he said.