Highlights - India Beat Thailand 4-1, Begin AFC Asian Cup With a Bang
Indian football team skipper Sunil Chhetri celebrate his goal against Thailand in the AFC Asian Cup. Get highlights and analysis of the India vs Thailand AFC Asian Cup 2019 match below.
Indian football team had a rousing start to their AFC Asian Cup campaign, running through Thailand 4-1 in Abu Dhabi on January 6. Sunil Chhetri scored twice while Anirudh Thapa and Jeje Lalpekhlua rounded off the scoring for Stephen Constantine’s men, who are now placed atop Group A.
Skipper Chhetri scored from the spot in the first half to give India the lead while Teerasil Dangda equalised for Thailand. The teams were tied 1-1 at half time. India began the second half on the offensive and Chhetri scored again just two minutes into the break. From then on, the Indians were unstoppable. India will the UAE in their second match on January 10.
(Get highlights and analysis of the India vs Thailand AFC Asian Cup 2019 match below)
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Goal demography
91’ The youngest player in the team has a goal. The oldest player in the team has a goal. And the player woefully out of form has a goal. India’s Asian Cup is well and truly underway.
Full TIme
We have been very strong critics of Stephen Constantine in the recent past. Today he has not made a wrong decision, as far as we can tell from the outside. Showing the awareness to rest players who will start again on Jan. 10 is a sign of how switched on he has been today. As for the boys on the pitch, not a thing has been missing. The plan has been executed to perfection and we finally have something very real to celebrate. We’re doing some Thai curry tonight (not really, but had to be said).
What a game!
What a game! What a result! Who would’ve predicted this? No one. No one did anyway. India have four goals, three points and are top of Group A. There is a lot to be proud of tonight. Chhetri, Thapa and Jeje will take the headlines but credit must also be given to Udanta Singh who has two assists from this game. Ashique was a surprise started tonight but she showed what Stephen Constantine seems to be thinking, his co ordination with Chhetri quite telepathic. It gets tougher from here, we face the hosts UAE in the next game. But forget all of that tonight. Celebrate. Go to work late tomorrow. India have a win in the Asian Cup for the first time in 55 years!
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