SAFF Football: India coach Igor Stimac, striker Rahim Ali sent off after heated exchanges against Kuwait

While India drew 1-1 with Kuwait in a heated encounter in SAFF Championship, it was their head coach Igor Stimac who once again grabbed all the headlines.

The Croat, who was sent off in the opening fixture against Pakistan, received yet another red card on his return to the touchline.

In the 62nd minute of the game, Stimac held up play after grabbing hold of the ball, angry at a foul by Kuwait's Hamad Al Qallaf who had pushed Naorem Mahesh Singh down near the touchline. After Kuwait's players expressed their displeasure, the referee brandished a yellow card at the Indian coach.

But Stimac didn't stop there, he kept chirping away at the match officials thereafter. His complaints didn't stop and the referee in the 81st minute, reached out into his pocket to send the Indian coach off for the second time in 3 games.

The tempers though were flaring and it all boiled over in the 90th minute when players from both sides ended up clashing with one another after yet another foul by Al Qallaf, this time on India's Sahal Abdul Samad. Substitute Rahim Ali reacted and shoved the Kuwaiti onto the pitch in return, and the referee then sent both players off in a bid to calm the players down.

A late own goal from Anwar Ali saw Kuwait get away with a draw but it was the heated exchanges during the game that drew all the attention on the night.

Also read: India held to 1-1 draw by Kuwait, finish 2nd in Group A