Amidst the successful hosting of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 where the India U-17 football team are winning hearts of 1.3 billion people with their stupendous performances, the senior Indian national football team made matters brighter for the beautiful game in the country by qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 on Wednesday October 11.
Sunil Chhetri led India beat Macau 4-1 to register their fourth successive win in as many matches (Group A) at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru to script India’s 2nd qualification to the AFC Asian Cup in last 8 years, and 4th overall. India had last qualified to the AFC Asian Cup in Doha in 2011.
Rowllin Borges, Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan and an own-goal from Macau’s Lam Ka Seng helped India get the flurry of goals on a rainy evening in Bangalore.
The first goal came in the 28th minute. Off a build-up down the left, Rowllin Borges hit a shot on goal after receiving the ball from Jeje Lalpekhlua. The travelling ball hit rival captain Cheang Cheng and went in.
The second goal came as a relief for most of the fans, and it came in the 60th minute. The triangle of Jeje Lalpekhlua, Balwant Singh and Sunil Chhetri did the trick. Jeje essayed it to Balwant in vacant space who sped past his marker and laid it for Chhetri at the other end to tap it in.
The path to the qualification to Asian Cup UAE 2019 became more positive for the hosts when in the 70th minute, a deflected shot from Holicharan Narzary hit Macau’s Lam Ka Seng and the ball went in to his own net.
ibtimes
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