AFC Asian Cup 2019: 3 reasons why India beat Thailand 4-1

#2 Sunil Chhetri leading the way

If there was one person on whom India relied the most to deliver on the pitch today, it was India’s oldest player in the starting line-up - 34-year-old Sunil Chhetri - and he did lead the way for India’s victory in the best of ways possible.

Chhetri was crucial in India’s first goal as he was quick to get the ball rolling from a swiftly taken throw from the touchline that reached Ashique, who managed to salvage a penalty for India. With a cool and a calm finish, Chhetri managed to score the opener for India thus instilling some belief of India bringing out a result from the game.

The belief was further deepened as he scored an absolute cracker from 18-yards off a deflected ball from Ashique’s feet who received a brilliant cross for Udanta from the right wing. That goal provided a lot of confidence for India to steal the game from Thailand and opened the floodgates for two more goals on the scoresheet for India.

Today’s match was a definite reflection on the kind of impact that a player like Chhetri has on the team. India will be hoping there are better things to come from the striker which is a must if the men in blue are to progress to the further stages of the tournament.

Not to forget, Chhetri has now gone past Lionel Messi in the list of highest scorers among active footballers in International football.

Edited by Raunak J