Zuala's historical brace sees India march into semi-finals with a 4-1 win over Nepal
INDIA FIRED PAST Nepal 4-1 in their last group stage match at the SAFF Championship with 18 year old Chhangte Lallianzuala making history by becoming the youngest player to score for India. And the Mizo youngster found the net not once but twice.
With the passage to semi-final practically certain, Constantine decided to shake things up in the starting line-up, making 5 changes to the eleven he fielded against Sri Lanka. Subrata Paul replaced Gurpreet Singh at goal. Robin Singh, who sustained an injury during the previous match, was rested to give Holicharan Narzary his second national team cap, both against Nepal. Jeje Lalpekhlua made way for Bikash Jairu, while in the defence Pronay Halder and Arnab Mondal sat out to let Rowlin Borges and Aiborlang Khongjee in.
The Nepal team, for their part, made two changes, bringing in Anil Gurung and Bikram Lama into the squad for what was for them a must-win match in order to make it into the semi-finals.
The start wasn't anything like what India had hoped for. The first couple of minutes saw Nepal display some early aggression while the home team took some time to get warmed up to the contest.
An early free-kick due to a Eugeneson Lyngdoh foul saw Bishal Rai shoot it on target but Subrata was there to collect. But in the very next minute Nawayung Shrestha got behind a through ball with Pritam Kotal on his tail, and the latter slipped and fell to allow the forward ample space to run in. Subrata came off the line to stop him but Nawayung bypassed him and took a low shot that hit the far post. But Bimal Nagar was running in from the right, and the ball went straight up to him. The task was but to tap it into an empty net.
3' GOAL to @theanfacom!! Magar taps the ball into an empty net to make it 1-0! #SAFFSuzukiCup pic.twitter.com/0n4fr2dI1X
— SAFF Suzuki Cup (@SAFFSuzukiCup) December 27, 2015
India turned things around from here. A couple of minutes later Sanju Pradhan sent in a cross to get Chhetri dangerously close to the Nepal goal but Aditya Chaudhary made a sliding tackle to dispossess him.
8' @chetrisunil11 recieves a juicy ball from Pradhan but a diving tackle denies him a shot on target #SAFFSuzukiCup pic.twitter.com/qbohHI3UJ5
— SAFF Suzuki Cup (@SAFFSuzukiCup) December 27, 2015
Some twenty minutes into the game, India were positively asserting dominance in the game, with some sixty percent possession and most of the attacking play going to them. Bikash Jairu made another run up the left flank and sent in a ball that Nepal keeper Kiran Kumar Limbu punched away. Sanju Pradhan picked it up and let fly but it went a couple of inches off target. Next minute Sanju was at it again, sendingi in a cross to Holicharan Narzary who headed just wide. The pressure was building.
And it paid off soon afterwards. A Narayan Das free-kick was shouldered down by Pritam Kotal and Rowlin Borges, the 23 year old Sporting Clube de Goa central medio playing his fifth game for India, put a clean finisher on it. The ball found the back of the net. It was 1-1.
26' GOAL to @AiffMedia! Borges makes it 1-1 after his powerful shot smashes into the top of the net! #SAFFSuzukiCup pic.twitter.com/52tKpmQlIO
— SAFF Suzuki Cup (@SAFFSuzukiCup) December 27, 2015
Although Nepal managed to put together a couple of attacks from this point on, the tide had turned and India did not lose their grip from here; and the second half rewarded their spirit with something special.
Sanju Pradhan made way for Chhangte Lallianzuala at the start of the second period. The 18 year old had made history on Friday night by becoming the youngest player to play for the national team. Tonight he would go on to achieve yet another historic milestone.
Subrata Paul, who was caught in an awkward position when the first goal went in, started the second half with a couple of impressive saves that kept India level. And as the game crossed the hour mark, India were pressing again. And Sunil Chhetri, who was lurking around the Nepal box for a long time, got a ball from Holicharan Narzary, got past Jitendran Karki and sent it in. India were now leading 2-1.
67' GOAL to @AiffMedia! The skipper, @chetrisunil11 puts his nation in the lead!! 2-1 #SAFFSuzukiCup pic.twitter.com/O2nbUSV2P0
— SAFF Suzuki Cup (@SAFFSuzukiCup) December 27, 2015
Then Lallianzuala had his first shot at goal. It almost went in but defender Aditya Chaudhary threw himself in the way of the ball to make an off-the-line clearance.
Soon after, Nepal got a brilliant chance to equalize, as a long ball reached Anil Gurung who was challenged by an onrushing Subrata Paul. The substitute striker let fly, but Subrata got a touch on it that sent it out for a corner.
But Zuala (as Lallianzuala is known to his teammates), who was giving Nepali defenders a lot of trouble with his sudden acceleration and brilliant first touch, was not going to be denied for much longer. He got the ball on the right flank, ran inwards and pulled the trigger with his left foot; leaving three defenders and the goalkeepers gaping as the ball went in like a bullet. History was made as the boy from DSK Shivajians U-19 team, who is yet to have his senior debut for a club side, became the youngest player to score a goal for India.
81' GOAL to @AiffMedia! WHAT A GOAL! Chhangte with a screamer to make it 3-1! #SAFFSuzukiCup pic.twitter.com/Qvu3KLoPPZ
— SAFF Suzuki Cup (@SAFFSuzukiCup) December 27, 2015
And before the end of the game he got a goal again. Rowlin Borges scooped it up for Zuala who sent in a gem of a header from a distance straight into the goal.
It was a fitting climax to what had been an intense game where both sides played to win, but India came through in the end thanks to sheer intensity. Nepal were knocked out of the tournament, having lost both their group matches, while India qualified for the semi-finals after winning both their games rather convincingly.
Stephen Constantine will have a wide smile in his face right now. The focus on youth he has been talking about for the last few months that many scoffed at, the scouting efforts he carried out and players he picked from state leagues and academy sides that so many called gimmicky... well, they have paid off. Not just Zuala but Holicharan Narzary and Rowlin Borges, all youngsters given a platform to prove themselves worthy of the national team colours, have all delivered. 20 out of the 20 players in the squad have gotten minutes in these 2 games and have helped India enter the semi-finals as a clear title contender.
But the real tests will begin now. In the semis and the final India will have to face teams like Maldives and Afghanistan, both of which are well-organized sides placed higher in the FIFA rankings. If Constantine's young guns can fire India to the title by slaying these teams, then this SAFF Championship will perhaps become the best tournament India have played under the British coach; a vindication of not only his coaching skills and strategy but also his vision for Indian football.
