AFC Asian Cup 2019: India Thrashed Thailand by 4-1
India got their AFC Asian Cup 2019 campaign off to a
stunning start on Sunday as they humiliated dark horses Thailand with a 4-1
Group A win at the Al Nahyan Stadium.
Veteran striker Sunil Chhetri played a pivotal role with a
brace that sandwiched Teerasil Dangda’s equaliser, before Anirudh Thapa and
Jeje Lalpekhlua also got in on the act to seal an emphatic victory for the Blue
Tigers.
The result – coupled with Saturday’s 1-1 draw between United
Arab Emirates and Bahrain – means India currently find themselves top of Group
A and already find themselves in a strong position to advance to the Round of
16.
Yet, even the most hopeful of Indian fans are
unlikely to have dreamed of what eventuated on Sunday against an opposition
highly rated by many, although they certainly had reason to dream when they
took the lead in the 27th minute.
Released down the left by a quick throw-in, Ashique Kuruniyan
saw his shot saved by Chatchai Budprom only for the rebound to strike
Theerathon Bunmathan on the arm.
It appeared that the Thailand left-back could do little to
avoid the ball but referee Liu Kwok Man had no hesitation in awarding a penalty
and – with equal conviction – Chhetri made no mistake in emphatically sending
Chatchai the wrong way from the spot.
Nonetheless, the War Elephants did manage to
respond three minutes after the half-hour mark with a goal manufactured by two
key men who recently returned from season-long spells in the J1 League.
Lining up a freekick on the right, Theerathon curled in a
dangerous delivery and Teerasil showed the greatest determination to reach it
and glance a header past Gurpreet Singh Sandhu for the equaliser.
Having done well to get back on level terms, the Thais then
shot themselves in the foot when they went to sleep immediately after the
restart, allowing Udanta Singh to break free down the right and cross to
Chhetri, who perfectly dispatched a looping shot over Chatchai.
Thailand’s inept defensive display continued in the 68th
minute as Udanta was again given too much time and space to charge towards goal
before laying the ball back to Thapa, who showed composure beyond his tender
years to dink a neat finish past both Chatchai and a recovering defender into
the back of the net.
At this stage, the Thais needed something special if they
were to rescue anything out of the contest.
But instead,
it was India who had the final say with ten minutes remaining after the Thais
failed to clear their lines; Halicharan Narzary setting up substitute Jeje to
rifle a fierce shot past Chatchai, who perhaps should still have done better to
keep it out.
THAILAND: Chatchai Budprom,
Tristan Do, Chalermpong Kerdkaew, Pansa Hemviboon, Theerathon Bunmathan,
Thitipan Puangchan, Sanrawat Dechmitr (Korrakod Wiriyaudomsiri 58’), Adisak
Kraisorn (Sumanya Purisay 79’), Chanathip Songkrasin (Siroch Chatthong 73’),
Supachai Jaided, Teerasil Dangda.
INDIA: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan,
Anas Edathodika, Subhasish Bose, Udanta Singh, Anirudh Thapa (Rowllin Borges
72’), Pronay Halder (Germanpreet Singh 87’), Halicharan Narzary, Sunil Chhetri,
Ashique Kuruniyan (Jeje Lalpekhlua 72’).
