Chhetri strike sinks Myanmar

Yangon, March 28

A last-minute strike by Sunil Chhetri helped India break a 64-year-old jinx as they pipped Myanmar by a solitary goal to begin their AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign on a promising note here today. India had not beaten Myanmar in their own den since October 1953 when they won 4-2 in a quadrangular tournament held here, when the city was called Rangoon. Myanmar beat India 1-0 the last time they met, during the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers in Yangon in March 2013.

Myanmar were the better side in the Group A match today as they controlled the midfield for most part of the game but India ran away with three full points with Chhetri scoring in the 90th minute from an Udanta Singh assist. Myanmar did all the attacking, especially in the second half. 

But the Myanmar forwards lacked the finishing abilities and they had very few clear chances at the Indian goal. The Indian defenders were able to thwart the waves of opposition attack before captain Chhetri produced a magical moment to score his 53rd international goal. Super-sub Udanta, on a brilliantly executed counter-attacking move, broke free from the right wing to unleash an inch-perfect pass to Chhetri, who found the back of the net to silence the 20,000-strong home crowd.

Job still far from done, says Constantine

India coach Stephen Constantine lauded his team’s never-say-die attitude on the pitch. “Myanmar had several chances to score but we showed great spirit on the field today. We never gave up mentally and that aided us in our win,” Constantine said. 

“We had three to four chances in the match but we could only take the one in the end. It was a very tight game and the boys showed fantastic spirit to earn the win,” he added. “Football is all about taking your chances. We took ours and they did not take theirs.”

Constantine said India’s job has just started. “This win does not matter much. We still have to take six points to be able to qualify. We have to stay focused and concentrate on the next game,” he said. 

India next play Kyrgyzstan at home on June 13. — PTI