'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Stephen Constantine's India were made to sweat in the drenching Mumbai rain but they came off with all three points in their Hero tri-nation series opener against Mauritius. The African side took the lead inside the opening 20 minutes but a Robin Singh-inspired Indian side produced a comeback that has become the norm for the Blue Tigers.
Singh equalised in the 38th minute before being taken off at the half-time break. His replacement, Balwant Singh, put the finishing touches on India's winner early in the second half to send the vociferous Mumbai crowd into raptures. It was India's first win under captain Sandesh Jhingan, who had to endure a few nervy moments as the game trudged past the finish line.
In the process, the Blue Tigers stumbled upon a few new milestones that will be hard to repeat for future generations. Here are the records India broke with their 2-1 win today.
#1 Nine straight wins for India
With their win today, India have recorded nine straight wins in international matches, including the unofficial friendly against Bhutan in August last year. This is the Blue Tigers' most productive spell in history and the golden run will stand them in good stead for next month's crucial AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifier against Macau.
#2 Constantine reaches number 35
Ahead of today's match, head coach Constantine had given 32 players their national team debuts during his second spell in India and the run continued when Amrinder Singh, Nikhil Poojary and Manvir Singh were handed their first India caps. No head coach in the history of Indian football has handed debuts to so many players in such a short space of time.
#3 New captain, no problem
Jhingan was named as the new Indian captain and just like Gurpreet Singh Sandhu against Cambodia at the same venue one year ago, the 24-year-old centre-back led his team to a comeback win. Both lads from Chandigarh have eased into the captaincy role, a long-term thought process of Constantine to make Chhetri's passing of baton as seamless as possible.
#4 Robin Singh's much-awaited Mumbai Football Arena goal
Robin Singh isn't the most prolific Indian striker out there but he showed his prowess in front of goal today with a well-taken goal to level things up just before the half-time break. It was his fifth India goal and his first at the Mumbai Football Arena. If anything could turn a corner for Robin as far as his India career is concerned, it is his goal today.
#5 India, the comeback kings?
India's comeback win against Mauritius was their fifth in 16 international matches. During the current nine-match winning run, the Blue Tigers have managed to come from behind to win three times, which is an unprecedented achievement in the history of Indian football. Thanks to a newfound spirit, India have truly become a dominant force at home, albeit against lower rung teams.
#6 Mumbai is India's lucky home
India have played three times at Andheri's Mumbai Football Arena and have won each time. They have scored eight goals and conceded just two in those three games, suggesting that Constantine's charges are at home in the compact confines of the Mumbai Football Arena. They have St. Kitts & Nevis next at the ground on Thursday and the Caribbean outfit will be wary of the home team's record at the ground.
