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Team India rose to the occasion and found themselves a late-winner from substitute Sahal Abdul Samad as they beat Afghanistan 2-1 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on June 11.
Afghanistan posed a real threat to Igor Stimac's men as they chose to adopt a counter-attacking style of play. However, Ashique Kuruniyan played an impactful game, troubling the Afghans at the back and earning a free kick late in the game.
Skipper Sunil Chhetri placed the ball nicely, noticing a gap in the Afghan wall, and managed to get it past the Afghan custodian.
But the Afghan side did not take long to restore parity in the game. Zubayr Amiri, who was let loose by his marker, got a free header and the player did not disappoint.
However, at the other end, Ashique Kuruniyan started another move that ended in a goal scored by Sahal Abdul Samad, who replaced Sunil Chhetri. The goal seemed to catapult the Blue Tigers' aspirations of making it through to the main tournament, even though the game against Hong Kong game is still to be played.
Here are the player ratings for India from their victory:
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu - 7/10
The Blue Tigers' custodian had much more to do in this match compared to their previous encounter against Cambodia. Sandhu came up with an important save in the second-half that kept his side in the game.
Akash Mishra - 6.5/10
Akash Mishra put in a workhorse performance, something that he has been renowned for since the ISL 2021-22 season. The wing-back joined Ashique Kuruniyan while in the attacking phase and kept bombarding the Afghan box with crosses.
Sandesh Jhingan - 7.5/10
Sandesh Jhingan had his task cut out for this game unlike in the previous one. He was about to be taken off at the end of the first-half after holding his calf. But the central defender stood his ground throughout the clash.
Anwar Ali - 7.5/10
Ali's defensive excellence has been on display for the past two games. The FC Goa defender displayed composure and maturity, partnering Sandesh Jhingan at the heart of the Blue Tigers' defense.
Naorem Roshan Singh - 6.5/10
Roshan Singh recently extended his stay at Bengaluru FC. His performances for the Blue Tigers are evidence of why he is regarded so highly by the Blues. Although Roshan is yet to shine for the Indian national football team in the same manner he did for the club, the young wing-back has not shied away from showcasing his abilities.
Suresh Wangjam - 7.5/10
Wangjam's running riot in the centre of midfield has been one of the biggest takeaways for the national team in the qualifiers. The box-to-box midfielder went all guns blazing in the game against Afghanistan. Line-breaking passes, interceptions and quick transitions from Wangjam impacted Igor Stimac's game plan to a massive extent.
Ashique Kuruniyan - 6.5/10
Ashique put in a good performance against the Afghans. His flare and pace bothered the Afghan defensive setup. The player was also involved in a lot of duels in the opposition's half and was responsible for both the goals scored by the Blue Tigers.
Liston Colaco - 6/10
Deployed in a more central role in the tie against Afghanistan, he seemed slightly limited in his methods because of the position. However, there were moments of magic from the ATK Mohun Bagan star that drew fouls from the Afghan players.
Jeakson Singh - 6/10
The Kerala Blasters FC midfielder was solid in the centre of the park, screening the defense. The central midfielder was key to the interceptions made in the central channel.
Manvir Singh - 5/10
Manvir Singh was hardly involved in the game, with most of India's attacks in the first half coming from the left. He was also substituted after Afghanistan equalized.
Sunil Chhetri - 8/10
Blue Tigers skipper Chhetri raised the roof with his free-kick in the 86th minute. He is now a goal away from the legendary Puskas. The striker was marked by Harun Amiri but Chhetri dropped to midfield on various occasions and helped in progressing the ball.
Blue Tigers' substitutes
Udanta Singh - 6/10
Udanta Singh came on for Manvir Singh in the final 10 minutes. He was decent throughout his time on the pitch.
Sahal Abdul Samad - 6.5/10
Samad replaced Sunil Chhetri towards the end of the second half. He made an instant impact after coming on by scoring the winner for the Blue Tigers against Afghanistan in injury time.
Glan Martins - 6/10
Martins came on for Jeakson Singh in the final moments of the game. He was tidy with his passing but was majorly out of place during the defensive phases. Afghanistan had one clear chance which had to be dealt with by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Glan was caught ball watching during the instance.
Brandon Fernandes 6.5/10
Coming on in place of Liston, Brandon Fernandes made an instant impact with his off-the-ball movements. He had a glorious opportunity to put the game to bed but ended up missing it.
