Asian Cup Qualifiers: Balwant's brace bashes Macau's attempt at defensive survivalism

WHEN THE MACAU PLAYERS lined up in the tunnel, they looked like you'd expect them to; a team facing regular defeats, about to walk out to a nearly empty home arena to a lukewarm response.

The Macau team hasn't been doing well recently, to say the least. They lost both their opening games in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers (although they did put up a fight against Kyrgyzstan on the road, they copllapsed against Myanmar). With their rankings tanking, the national team coach had already declared his intentions to play a defensive game. 

Macau football already exists in a vacuum of sorts. There isn't much enthusiasm around the city-state's top tier league. The most hyped sports event in Macau is the Formula One Grand Prix. The Macau Olympic Stadium hardly sees a couple hundred football fans turn up to see their national team. Tonight, they were almost matched in number by the East Bengal fans who had travelled, the Kerala Blasters supporters from Hong Kong joined by a group of Mizo students. The away section was easily the loudest part of the arena.

In such a situation, how does a team pump themselves up? They seemed to have worked out a solution: draw their energy from the opponents. As the Indian team lined up next to them, most of the Macau players let out screams to egg each other on. They had come in with a set purpose: to not let a goal in and frustrate the opponent attack, then to try and get them by counters or set pieces if at all possible. The priority was on defending. 

And the match, from minute one, saw them defending in numbers, often putting 11 men behind the ball. India enjoyed tons of possession and the home team was happy to let them.

Jeje Lalpekhlua had a security entourage around him. The path between Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Sunil Chhetri was being manned as the captain was moving around a lot. India kept the ball and looked for inroads through the sea of green cordoning off the box. A few back passes and ferrying the ball around midfield was no good; Macau were willing to put bodies forward if there was a set-piece opportunity.

15 minutes in, a corner went to Macau due to an elementary mistake from Rowllin Borges. Lam Ka Seng botched it. The Greens nonchalantly went back to defending.

Trying to get the ball to Jeje via a link between Sunil and Eugene wasn't working very well. Holicharan Narzary looked off and Udanta had little effect on the game. Macau were meticulously defending and soon it became clear that despite high possession, India weren't able to create any panic in the Macau box.

But the Blue Tigers did not let up. They stuck to their chess moves, incessantly moving up, with the midfield having a much bigger role to play than the two friendlies in the Tri-Series. And near the half hour mark, the first big chance manifested. Sunil Chhetri got the ball, shot a long ranger on the turn, and keeper Ho Man Fai, immovably accurate most of the night, looked beaten.

But the ball came off the post.

Towards the end of the first half, Sunil received a cross that he could have slotted in from a relatively close range but he sent it wide.

The half-time came with both teams without a goal to their name. Constantine walked out with a stony face and Sunil Chhetri vented on Holicharan Narzary. 

When the game resumed, Balwant Singh, who had been warming up for most of the first half, got in for Eugeneson Lyngdoh. A positive striker replacing an attacking medio. Constantine was going for the kill now. Sunil took on a more withdrawn role and Rowllin Borges now had more ground to cover, but the intention was clear. Indian defenders never really looked under threat from Macau attackers during open play, so it was now time to strengthen the battering ram. Both Jeje and Balwant acted as target men, with Sunil frequently running up to create three-pronged danger for the Macau defence.

Right after the 50 minute mark, Pritam Kotal overlapped and sent in a cross that Sunil headed towards the goal. It hit the post again. A couple of long balls from the midfield had almost reached Balwant Singh. At long last, the Macau defence looked a bit spread out. 

56 minutes in. it finally came. Narayan Das got the ball to Balwant Singh who nodded the ball into the net. The visiting fans exploded in joy and Balwant collapsed on the field. He didn't get the start tonight, wasn't even a part of Constantine's A-plan, but coming on as a halftime substitute and scoring in an Asian qualifier match completed the story of his comeback from the vicious groin injury that kept him out of action for almost a year.

But there was some work to do. India pressed hard for the second. Macau even looked threatening in response, coming up for a counter and earning a corner at one point. India needed that second goal to wrap it up and they were getting closer. 

Right after the 80 minute mark, Balwant's marker made a sudden turn that gave him a lot of room and the possession to boot. This drew the keeper out of his line. Balwant managed to chip the ball over his head before taking a fall. Everyone in the stadium held their collective breath as the ball rolled into the net.

Two nil. And Balwant Sing possibly overtaking Robin Singh in Constantine's priority list. 

India, despite the frustrating start against a highly defensive opponent, had managed to break their resolve and earn their third straight win in the Asian Cup Qualifiers, so much so that a place in the Asian Cup finals proper is just one win away. They have a chance to get that against Macau itself when they play the Greens in Bengaluru next month at the return leg.

Only a week ago, Macau had been hit with a terrible typhoon. But the country (special administrative zone within China) did a great job at carrying out a recovery; so much so that today no sign of that devastation exists save a couple of broken trees no sign of that calamity exists today. But despite their best efforts, tonight they could not withstand the repeated onslaughts of India. It remains to be seen if they can recover enough from this to throw a challenge in the face of India's quest to qualify for Asian Cup come October.