India 2-0 Macau, 5 Talking Points: AFC Asian Cup 2019 Qualifiers

A lethargic looking India got the better of Macau earlier today in an AFC Asian Cup 2019 Qualifier, thereby all but sealing their place in the AFC Asian Cup 2019, to be staged in the UAE. Two strikes from Balwant Singh - both in the second half - settled the nerves of the Blue Tigers after a shaky first half performance.

Three matches. Three wins.

Stephen Constantine's charges are on fire at the moment and their win today marked their 11th game unbeaten. Having seen off Myanmar and the Kyrgyz Republic in their two previous Group A matches, the Macau win sets the Blue Tigers up nicely for qualification for the main event in 2019.

It was far from a cruising win, and here are the five talking points:

#1 Balwant Singh - Displaced Jeje at Mohun Bagan and now close to doing so in the national team

The man from Hoshiarpur, Punjab once again proved to the watching Constantine that he remains a better option in attack over the misfiring Jeje. Balwant has now scored three goals in his last three India games, but in only one of the matches was he a starter. However, he has been among the goals in the games where he has come on as a substitute, so Constantine has a point there.

That said, Balwant's hunger for goals meant that he couldn't miss the two presentable chances. The 30-year-old was a constant threat to the Macau defence ever since he replaced Eugeneson Lyngdoh at the start of the second half and vindicated his coach's decision to send him in. Balwant, though, would now aim a regular starting spot now that goals are not a problem.

#2 Full backs Kotal and Das impress

Kotal and Das are growing into an impressive full-back pair

India were totally dominant in terms of territory and possession but failed to present much of a threat to start with. With Macau sitting deep and dropping deeper with every passing minute, space in central areas was at a premium for Constantine's men. That resulted in the Indian full-backs, Pritam Kotal and Narayan Das, enjoying a fair amount of liberty on their respective flanks.

Both the Indian full-backs bombarded cross after cross throughout the game, but it was only after the introduction of Balwant in the second half that those balls made more sense. It was Narayan's cross in the 57th minute which broke the deadlock after Balwant nodded it home. Against deep defences, having quality full-backs to attack from wide areas is a big advantage and India are at least blessed with two reliable wide defenders.

#3 Eugeneson Lyngdoh's performance or the lack of, needs to sharpen up or else we might be seeing the last of him

Lyngdoh had a difficult time on the pitch — Lyngdoh (No 7) had a difficult time on the pitch

Eugeneson Lyngdoh has been going through an indifferent period of form in the last few weeks and it once again showed today. The 30-year-old flattered to deceive against a weak Macau outfit when it was he who was tasked with the responsibility of penetrating the deep block. Lyngdoh looked out of sorts, and should this recent slump continue, Constantine wouldn't be afraid to give him the boot.

Lyngdoh has been a fine servant of Indian football ever since he burst onto the scene in the past few years, but he needs to sharpen up now given the rising competition for places in the team. Seasoned professionals like Mohammed Rafique and youngsters like Anirudh Thapa are waiting in the wings and Lyngdoh could already be in his last-chance saloon, given he was taken off at half-time.

#4 Off day for the captain

Sunil Chhetri came into the game bent on keeping his third qualifying round goalscoring record intact. The 33-year-old scored the winners against Myanmar and the Kyrgyz Republic in India's previous Group A matches but today, he failed to find the back of the net. It was a rare off day for the talismanic forward who normally buries the chances he got on the end of today.

Chhetri, as usual, was a constant menace to the Macau defence but like Jeje, he too couldn't influence proceedings as directly as he would have liked to. India take on Macau in the return leg next month on 10th October and Chhetri will look to sharpen up ahead of the game.

#5 Striker problem for Constantine?

Constantine has what is called a good problem to have in his team's goal scoring department. With Balwant among the goals today and Robin Singh also getting a confidence-boosting strike in the recently concluded Tri-Nation Series, India are enjoying a rich vein of form in attack.

Jeje, who had been scoring freely for the national team until the Tri-Nation series started, has not scored in the last four games - including today's one - and similar barren performances in the future could prove to spell trouble for his regular starting spot. The 26-year-old is still way above the likes of Robin and Balwant in the pecking order, but that could stand to change in the future with the rise in competition.