Sunil Chhetri on the double as India beat Cambodia

He urged the crowd to come and they did, with the Tricolour and a tifo of Chuni Goswami who led India to their last Asian Games gold 60 years ago. Sunil Chhetri returned the compliment with a brace giving India a 2-0 win, the first at home under Igor Stimac, to start their quest for an unprecedented second straight Asian Cup finals. Chhetri now has 82 international goals.

With Cambodia’s wing backs pinned in their half there were five defending the penalty area. India channeled attacking efforts through Liston Colaco, who had dazzled under the Salt Lake stadium lights for ATK Mohun Bagan, and Cambodia had three players on him. Yet neither of Ken Chansopheak, Choun Chanchav and Kok Boris could get the ball off Colaco leading to Boris bringing him down.

The stadium shook as Palestine referee Baraa Kamal Abu Aseh pointed to the spot. Hands on hips, staring into middle distance, Chhetri waited for the whistle to blow. When it did, he banged it into a corner that was too acute for goalkeeper Hul Kimhuy. 13 minutes and India were up and running in the final round of the Asian Cup qualifiers. It was their earliest goal since the World Cup and Asian Cup qualifying cycle began simultaneously in September 2019.

The insurance goal could have come earlier but Chhetri failed to direct a header off a Naorem delivery before Mishra let fly in the 42nd minute from range. Full backs comfortable with both feet is a luxury for India but in Mishra and Naorem, Stimac has that and on Wednesday neither shied from trying their luck.

Stimac brought on Udanta Singh for Manvir Singh and Sahal Abdul Samad for Anirudh Thapa. Udanta added fizz to the right that was missing in the first half. And a game that began with Cambodia’s national anthem not being played on time leading to a five-minute delay got worse as the evening bled into night.

Chhetri headed over a Brandon Fernandes delivery in the 50th minute but made amends 10th minutes later. From a corner taken by him, Fernandes sent a looping cross that arced over Chansopheak and Chhetri cushioned it in. With a proper connection off a Mishra prompt, he could have had a hattrick. Had he finished the game, maybe he would but on an early booking, Stimac decided to preserve him for tougher ties.

Hong Kong win

Two goals in four minutes from Hong Kong sucked life out of Afghanistan in the opening match of group D. Wong Wai’s long ranger from the left at the near post wrongfooted goalie Ovays Azizi in the 23rd minute before some smart work from Law Tsz Chun freed Matt Orr who also fired home at the near post on the right. In a match Hong Kong controlled thereafter, Afghanistan pulled one back through Farshad Noor in the 81st minute.