The Indian national football team kicked off the opening game of the Intercontinental Cup against the Chinese Taipei at the Mumbai Football Arena in Mumbai, India.
The four-nation tournament began with the two Asian sides kicking off proceedings as the other two sides - New Zealand and Kenya - will face each other later tomorrow. India were playing their first International fixture after their unbeaten streak came to an end against the Kyrgyz Republic in the Asian Cup qualifiers.
India's coach Stephen Constantine made a few changes to the line-up but fielded a strong side with Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua leading the way for the Blue Tigers in the attack. Gurpreet Singh manned the posts with the reliable duo of Sandesh Jhingan and Anas Edathodika operating in the defence. Subhashish Bose got the nod in the starting lineup ahead of the usually chosen Narayan Das.
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Backed by a vociferous crowd, the Blue Tigers put in a solid performance in the match. Courtesy of a brilliant hat-trick by the captain Sunil Chhetri, who scripted a new record in the process, and two superb individual moments from Udanta Singh and Pronay Halder giving the Indians a comfortable 5-0 win.
#1 India looked in control of the game from the start
The Indian team had been unbeaten at the Mumbai Football Arena coming into the match and began with confidence from the get-go. The defenders moved the ball well from the back and even went in search of the attacking wingers Halicharan Narzary and Udanta Singh with long diagonal balls.
Pronay Halder operated just ahead of the defenders and was a commanding presence in the centre not allowing any Chinese Taipei attacks to develop. Anirudh Thapa played behind the attacking players and did well to get into good positions and was confident on the ball.
Thapa's run into the box after a typical Udanta Singh sprint on the right wing created a chance for Sunil Chhetri but the skipper's shot went wide to the left of the Taipei goal. That was one of the many opportunities which went to waste. However, they did not prove to be fatal in the end.
#2 Sunil Chhetri capitalizes on the strong start and gives India the lead
India looked in the control from the start and made a lot of incisive moves into the Chinese Taipei box. Sunil Chhetri came close on two occasions - one from inside the box and the other from a freekick just outside the penalty area.
Chinese Taipei ad very few attacking moves as the Indian defence stood tall and made sure that the visitors did not have clear chance on the goal.
India's attacking persistence paid off just before the quarter hour mark when Jeje Lalpekhlua set up Sunil Chhetri for the opening goal. The Mizo Sniper received the ball in the midfield from Anirudh Thapa and after a swift shimmy, found Chhetri's run with a perfectly weighted through ball. Sunil Chhetri was superb in getting ahead of two defenders drawing the keeper out and angling his effort past him into the left bottom corner.
#3 India maintain dominance and go comfortably into the second half
After Sunil Chhetri's opener in the 14th minute, it was almost one-way traffic as India did not allow Chinese Taipei to build attacks. The visitors managed just twice to breach the Indian penalty area and both times, their efforts were foiled by the big man in the Indian goal, Gurpreet Sandhu.
The Chinese Taipei players were put under further pressure as Sunil Chhetri doubled the lead for India after an incredible passing move inside the box. Chhetri got on the end of a swift move by Anirudh Thapa and Jeje Lalpekhlua and managed to beat the Taipei keeper Pan Wen-Chieh at his near post from a difficult angle.
Chhetri had a chance to make it three in the first half itself when he attacked a long hopeful ball and almost lobbed the rushing Pan but the keeper's outstretched hand denied him the hat-trick. The score was 2-0 at the end of the first half as India went into the second half with a cosy lead.
#4 India start the second half with a bang
The second half started on an extremely promising note for the Blues as Udanta Singh produced a moment of brilliance to put India 3-0 up in the match. The winger made a run into the box from the right wing, took a moment to fox his marker with quick movements and then cut in on his left foot to curl his effort into the bottom corner. This was the youngster Udanta Singh's first International goal in 10 matches.
However, the Chinese Taipei side were not undone by the barrage of attacks and the goals advantage that India had. They were weak defensively playing a high line against the pacey Indian attackers but their midfielders continued to try to make their way through the Indian resistance.
#5 Pronay Halder's stunner puts the icing on a five-star performance
Sunil Chhetri completed his hat-trick just a couple of minutes after the hour mark when he scored from inside the box after a good set-piece buildup by the Indian side. A brilliant wat to cap the performance from the Indian skipper who appeared in his 100th match for the national side.
The Blues kept exploiting the weak Chinese Taipei defence with good through balls utilizing the pace of the attack well with Udanta and Ashique on the wings. Just 12 minutes before the full time, Pronay Halder scored a stunning strike from the left side, cutting in on his right foot and curling it into the top corner just managing to beat the diving Pan in the Taipei goal.
The 5-0 win puts India in the driving seat in the Intercontinental Cup and they will next take on the African side Kenya on June 4 in Mumbai.
