Goalfest in Guwahati - tennis score domination from India as they run Laos off the cliff with 6-1 win
TEAM INDIA ENDED the season in an emphatic fashion by registering an emphatic win over Laos in the second leg of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers (3rd Round) Playoffs. In a rain-soaked Indira Gandhi Stadium at Guwahati, the Blue Tigers overcame a shaky start to absolutely dominate the proceedings, and finish with an overwhelming 5-1 win, clinching the playoff tie by a 6-1 aggregate.
Coming into the match with a 1-0 advantage due to their win in the away leg, the start wasn't very reassuring for the Blue Tigers. Both sides were playing long balls early on and despite creating a couple of chances they could not get any leeway. Jeje Lalpekhlua was on the receiving end of a brilliant Udanta Singh cross but could not connect. Soon afterwards Udanta fed Sumeet Passi - getting his first start after debuting on Thursday - with a great cross but the latter got caught offside.
Laos meanwhile were depending on bypassing the midfield altogether by getting the ball to the striker who could then try to beat the Indian defence with his pace. Once they found their man up front who beat the offside trap and invaded the Indian box but Sandesh Jhingan forced a brilliant clearance. But next time the ball to the striker was perfect, the defenders were left behind and Khonesavanh Sihavong got the ball stright in.
0-1 down, India showed some initiative. A long ranger came in and the Laos keeper fumbled, and Jeje had a chance to convert from close range but ended up shooting outside. The following few minutes saw India put some constant pressure on the opponent defence.
As the half neared its end, the long awaited goal finally came. Stephen Constantine played his first card, replacing Udanta Singh with Jackichand Singh in the right flank. And immediately, the move bore fruit. Jackichand sent a ball in and Jeje Lalpekhlua got the finisher right this time. It was 1-1.
And from this point there was straight-up domination from the Blue Tigers. Sumeet Passi, playing his second match in India colours, got his first international goal when Jackichand Singh deep into the Laos half beating 3 opponent players, and sent in an impeccable cross to the young striker from Sporting Clube de Goa. A second assist for the Salgaocar winger sent India 2-1 up ahead of half-time.
Early on in the second half, India got a free kick from the scoring range, and Eugeneson Lyngdoh delivered it deep into the box which Sandesh Jhingan buried straight into the net. 31, and the goalfest had begun.
The next goal came a bit later, after Mohammed Rafique had missed out on an easy finisher from an Eugeneson cross and Bengaluru's Fulganco Cardozo had become the second player to make his debut in the match (Keegan Pereira being the other). Fulganco had a role to play in it, sending a ball to Sunil who fed Jeje, and the latter overcame two defenders to find the corner of the net. 4-1.
Now on a hat-trick, Jeje Lalpekhlua got hold of the ball from a Sumeet Passi pass and let fly, and hit the post. But minutes later, Sunil Chhetri had sent a ball in to Mohammed Rafique, whose shot took a deflection off a defender's foot and beat the keeper. It was 5-1.
But the show wasn't over yet. 86 minutes in, Jackichand got his third assist of the game with a cross in for Fulganco who converted with a fine header. A goal for the youngster on his debut, and a 6 goal haul for Team India for the first time since they played Cambodia in 2007 at Nehru Cup.
A 6-1 win tonight, and a 7-1 win in aggregate: the Blue Tigers rose to the occasion in the most spectacular way possible. Also, 3 promising young players made their debut in this playoff tie over the two legs. And two of them now have an international goal next to their name.
Despite about a dozen injuries in the squad, Team India have carried themselves in the best way possible in these playoffs, and with the newfound squad depth in their ranks, the upcoming 3rd round of the Asian Cup Qualifiers is something the fans can look forward to with hope.
