That brings us to the end of our coverage of India’s opening fixture of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, with the Blue Tigers bossing Cambodia and emerging winners by a 2-0 margin. They set their sights on Afghanistan now, whom they meet at the same venue three days later, and they’ll hope to make it two-in-two.
Thank you all so much for following our coverage! Good night!
Sunil Chhetri: “I think feels good. We kept a clean sheet. Lot of things we could’ve done better. It was really, really humid, not trying to give any excuse. I’m sure the coach will have a lot to say after he sees the videos. We should have (got more goals). Again I’m not trying to be harsh. I think we couldn’t utilise as much as we should have. We’re very happy we got the three points.”
FT: India 2-0 Cambodia
India are off to a winning start in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, handing Cambodia a 2-0 defeat in their first Group D fixture at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata thanks to a brace from veteran superstar Sunil Chhetri!
It’s also head coach Igor Stimac’s first victory in the role on home soil!
India 2-0 Cambodia
90′: Three minutes of added time announced at the YBK. Can the Blue Tigers squeeze in a third here?
India 2-0 Cambodia
87′: Ashique Kuruniyan nearly scores a third for the Indians, finding his way into the Cambodian penalty box and getting into a 1v1 with the opposition goalkeeper. The ball deflects off the keeper’s gloves and narrowly the goalpost. Corner for India.
India 2-0 Cambodia
80′: Udanta takes the corner in the 80th minute, but this is deflected away from the goalpost and towards the midfield by the Cambodian midfield. The Blue Tigers will hope to seal the deal with a third goal to their name!
India coach Stimac, meanwhile, brought Pritam Kotal onto the field in the 71st minute in place of Roshan Naorem Singh in another substitution.
India 2-0 Cambodia
68′: No hat-trick for Chhetri today as the veteran forward’s taken off shortly after his second goal of the evening
IN: Martins and Kuruniyan
OUT: Chhetri and Fernandes
India 2-0 Cambodia
63′: Cambodia make a couple of changes:
IN: Sinti and Noron
OUT: Suhana and Sokpheng
India 2-0 Cambodia
59′: GOAL! The Blue Tigers go 2-0 up as Chhetri collects his second, heading the ball past the Cambodian keeper following an accurate cross from Brandon Fernandes, who set things up nicely with a short corner.
India had been relentlessly building pressure right from the start of the second interval, and have been rewarded for their aggressive approach!
India 1-0 Cambodia
50′: Plenty of OOHS and AAHS from the YBK crowd as Chhetri goes for another header, and for the second time today, the ball goes above the bar. India off to an attacking start after halftime!