'%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)
Courtesy a questionable penalty netted by the Indian football team captain, Sunil Chhetri, a banger of a finish from Jeje, and another goal from the skipper as he chipped the ball over the head of the Kenyan keeper, tucking it in the back of the net, India picked up their second win in the tournament.
In a set up that was showered with rigorous rainfall, the arena in Andheri, Mumbai saw a dominating display of football from the Kenyan national side in the first half. While the visitors had the majority of ball possession in the first 45 minutes of the game, it was the Blue Tigers who emerged as the more than deserving winners of the contest.
Chhetri’s pleading video sure did impact the fans around the country as the crowds came out in numbers, selling out majority of the Mumbai Sports Complex. Over a nine thousand fans turned up to fill in the stadiums and get behind the men in blue. Supported by a strident crowd, Stephen Constantine’s men displayed some magical football in the second half of the game.
#1 Sandesh Jhingan – Wall of strength
Declared as the ‘Hero of the Match’ and quite rightly so, Jhingan played an eminent role in India’s second successive win in the Intercontinental Cup tonight. Be it aerial tackles, showing his attackers out with his core strength, his nightmarish sliding tackles on a slippery, rainy surface, Sandesh pulled every trick out of his hat and gave his all in order to keep a dominating Kenyan side away from Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s goal.
The Kerala Blasters’ captain limped off in the closing minutes of the game, being replaced by fellow left back, Narayan Das. Post that change from the Indian coach Stephen Constantine, there was an evident gap in the Indian half, defensively which allowed the Kenyan attackers some space and a couple of wasted opportunities on goal. Jhingan so very evidently made a huge difference as a part of Mr. Constantine’s back four.
#2 Sunil Chhetri – captain, leader, legend
Having missed out on a couple of chances in the first half of the game, Chhetri managed to keep his cool and played a composed game despite the rain. The 33-year-old had a couple of chances to get the lead in the bag for his team in the first half, but couldn’t do so.
Cometh the second half – Chhetri and co. were a changed side. The referee pointed to the penalty spot in the 64th minute of the game and it was the man of the hour, Sunil Chhetri who hammered it in the top left corner of the net, just brushing off of the gloves of Patrick Matasi. India had their lead doubled only a few minutes after Sunil’s spot kick, thanks to a volley from Jeje.
The Indian captain played an instrumental role in the successful night as India sit atop the points table of the tournament. What a tournament he is having – the man has scored five goals in two games in the competition. His 100th game for India came in some style as he registered a brace under his name, surpassing David Villa on the top active goal scorers’ list, placing third on the same, just behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
#3 Mumbai Rains – rained as if the sky was falling
It started pouring cats and dogs in the opening minutes of the fixture itself. With the Mumbai rain pouring in, the Andheri turf witnessed waterlogging all around the field. It was almost as if the teams were playing football in a pool of water, as the entire ground had developed numerous water puddles – making it difficult for the players of either side to pass around.
As a result, the first half saw a large number of long passes on the counter. The unpredictable surface impacted the first half quite considerably to a certain extent.
#4 Gurpreet Singh Sandhu – Superman
Not only is Sandhu known for his Superman sketches that went viral over his social media, but his Superman-like saves as well. He was no less than a superhero for India tonight as he made some crucial saves to maintain his clean sheet record in the 2018 Intercontinental Cup.
In the first half of the fixture that was largely being controlled by the Kenyans, Gurpreet showed some much-needed resilience and punched away each attempt that came his way.
#5 The fans – No more empty stands!
Constantine was rather vocal about his eagerness to the Intercontinental Cup prior to the tournament kicking off in Mumbai on the first day of this month. The Indian head coach believes that the Indian-hosted event is bound to influence the curbing of the Indian football team, ahead of the Asian Cup next year.
It is performances like tonight that keep the morale of a team up and running, and with two successive clean sheet victories – 5-0 against Chinese Taipei and 3-0 versus Kenya tonight, the entire Indian football camp is bound to be reeking of confidence.
Ahead of India’s next fixture of the competition which is to be held on June 7, 2018 in the same venue as tonight, the Indian dressing room will certainly have a positive buzz around it.
The large crowd led by the Blue Pilgrims that filled up the stands of the stadium in Andheri, to get behind the team in spite of the pelting rain, singing and chanting their hearts out, not only witnessed some beautiful display of football from each of the competitors, but also became a part of history that was made tonight following Chhetri’s 100th appearance feat, as well as a sold-out stand.
