Chhetri helps India win

Mumbai : Captain Sunil Chhetri’s brace helped India start their AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers final round on a high as the hosts defeated Cambodia 2-0 in a group D match at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday.

Chhetri was on the field for 68 minutes and looked hungry for a goal all the time. Right from the kick-off, the energetic 37-year-old made life difficult for the Cambodian defence and India didn’t have to wait too long for the first goal. In the 14th minute, Chhetri got his first, converting from the spot.

India were awarded the penalty after Liston Colaco was brought down by defender Kok Boris. It was Chhetri’s 81st international goal, surpassing the UAE’s Ali Mabkhout. The second came a minute before the hour-mark when he nodded in a Brandon Fernendes cross from the left.

Chhetri now is the third highest active goalscorer behind Cristiano Ronaldo (117) and Lionel Messi (86). Chhetri got a chance to complete his hat-trick in the 66th minute but his effort was blocked by the Cambodia defenders. India coach Igor Stimac was not satisfied with the margin of victory. It should have been 4-0. Two more goals would have served us well, the Croat said at the post-match media conference.

Stimac heaped praise on his captain. It’s again Sunil. Others are trying but not finding the way. I expect goals from Udanta (Singh), Liston (Colaco) and the rest, he said. Stimac said only one third of the job is done and the team still has a long way to go. “One third of the job is done. We still have to play Afghanistan and Hong Kong,” he said.

Asked why Chhetri was taken out, the coach said: “That’s because he had a yellow card and it is a matter of three games. We also must learn to play without Sunil.” In the build-up to the qualifiers, Chhetri had urged fans to come in large numbers. More than 26,000 people turned up and Chhetri did not disappoint them.

Fans will be hoping for more fireworks from him when India take on Afghanistan on Saturday. There was a wobble before the kick-off. The Cambodian national anthem was played seven minutes late due to a technical glitch.