India come back twice to draw game
MARGAO: India came back twice from a goal down to hold Myanmar in the final home match of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 qualifiers here on Tuesday.
Skipper Sunil Chhetri (13’) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (69’) scored for the hosts. Thanks to the 2-2 draw, India are now firmly cushioned at the top of Group A with 13 points from five matches.
Having conceded in the 19th second of the match, India regrouped fast. A build-up down the left enabled India to restore parity when Hlaing Bo Bo brought down Chhetri inside the box in the 13th minute. The latter gleefully converted from the spot digging it to the left of goalkeeper Kyaw Zin to score his 56th international goal.
Six minutes later, Myanmar surged into the lead again as Kyaw Ko Ko rattled the back of the net from around 20 yards.
But that didn’t demoralise India. Udanta Singh and Halicharan Narzary switched flanks and Udanta, in particular, managed to sneak in past his marker on a couple of occasions. But the rival defence managed to recover in time.
India came close in the 30th minute when Sandesh Jhingan leapt higher than all to connect Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s corner but an acrobatic Zin managed to keep it away.
That apart, Chhetri ran past all in the 41st minute but his placement missed the target.
After the changeover, Halicharan tried a couple of longrangers to beat the Myanmar goalie but his efforts went in vain.
At the stroke of the hourmark, Pritam Kotal swivelled a measured cross from the right directed to Chhetri but his steering header missed the target narrowly.
The reigning ‘AIFF Player of
the Year’ Jeje Lalpekhlua finally, hit the target in the 69th minute to cancel Myanmar’s lead. Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s long ball from the middle of the pitch was calmly converted by the sturdy striker.
Stephen Constantine introduced Bikash Jairu and Anirudh Thapa withdrawing Halicharan Narzary and Eugeneson Lyngdoh in the 76th and 82nd minute respectively.
In the 84th minute, Chhetri took a free-kick which could have been converted by Jhingan but the defender’s effort was straight at the goalkeeper.
India were awarded an indirect free-kick in the 86th minute and skipper Sunil Chhetri was spot on to hit the target, but his goal got cancelled as it went into the goal directly.