India ride on Chhetri strikes

Koevermans men rout Guam for second win

Skipper Sunil Chhetri found the target twice to  power India to a crushing 4-0 win over Guam for their second win in as many matches in the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers here on Monday.

With this victory, India, who have six points, stayed very much in contention for a berth in the next year’s AFC Challenge Cup.

Chhetri found the net in the 49th and 91st minute while the other two goals were scored by Clifford Miranda (68th) and Jewel Raja (80th) at the Youth Training Centre.

The Indians were completely off colour in the first half, but came out all guns blazing after the change of ends, with Chhetri leading from the front.

After a goalless first half, Chhetri drew the first blood four minutes after resumption. He followed Lenny Rodrigues’ through pass, beat the off-side trap and slotted past the rival goalkeeper Douglas Herrick, much to the relief of the Indian dugout. The floodgates opened after the first strike.

The second one came nineteen minutes later with Miranda blasting home a left-footer after being set up by Mehtab Hossain. Jewel made it 3-0 with a perfect execution after collecting a pass from substitute CK Vineeth. Chhetri scored the fourth, heading in a Mehtab corner in the 91st minute.

The goal took Chhetri’s tally of goals to 40, two short of India’s all-time top scorer, former captain Bhaichung Bhutia.

It was a tactical display by the Indians against an opposition, who looked ultra-defensive at times.

Finding it difficult to break free among the crowd of legs, the Indians preferred to use the flanks in the second half and open up the rivals.

India had defeated Chinese Taipei 2-1 in their opening match.

India had their first chance in the 19th minute when Syed Rahim Nabi found Jewel inside the box. Jewel trapped it, sidestepped Guam’s central defender Travis Nicklaw but shot wide.

India earned couple of corners but it didn’t yield any result. In the 39th minute, a counter-attack saw Mehtab feeding Chhetri inside the box, but the fate didn’t change as both teams went to the break with a clean slate.

Changing over, the urgency was visible right from the kick-off. In the 46th minute, Miranda’s close range effort sailed over. And almost immediately, India surged ahead. Lenny split the rival defence which saw Chhetri beat the off-side trap to slot home.

Chhetri’s powerful header off a Raju Gaikwad throw-in narrowly sailed over again in the 58th. Guam however couldn’t contain the Indians for long as the Vim Koevermans’ men fired in three goals after that.