Charismatic captain and soon-to-be father Sunil Chhetri played the role of saviour to perfection once again as he scored the lone goal in India's 1-0 win over lower-ranked Vanuatu in the Intercontinental Cup in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Chhetri struck in the 81st minute to settle the nerves of the Indians -- both players and fans -- at the Kalinga Stadium to put the home side in a strong position for a spot in the final. India had earlier beaten Mongolia 2-0 in their opening match on Friday.
The 38-year-old Chhetri, who consolidated his place as the third-most prolific active player with his 86th-minute strike in his 135th international match, celebrated the goal by letting the world know that he is going to be a father soon as he slid the ball below his jersey and into his belly. His wife Sonam was shown clapping on the big screen.
With six points from two wins, India are currently on top of the table. They play Lebanon on Thursday in their last round-robin league match.
The 101st-ranked India were clearly the better side in the first half with 62 per cent ball possession and at least a dozen attempts on opposition goal but most of them were off target. Vanuatu, ranked 164th in the world, did not have a single shot on target in the first half.
Debutant Nandhakumar Sekar had a decent outing as he was in the thick of things in the middle of the park and was involved in several Indian build-ups.
But he wasted India's lone real chance of the first session, hitting wide off a fine through ball from Mahesh Naorem in the 36th minute.
Naorem was a real threat for the Vanuatu defence as another of his measured crosses from the right found Chhetri in the clear in the 40th minute but the ball flew inches above the India captain's head with only the goalkeeper ahead.
With half time approaching, India pressed for a goal and they were all over the Vanuatuian final third but a goal eluded Igor Stimac's side.
In the injury-added time of the first half, Vanuatu forward Alex Saniel's right footer from just outside the Indian box was way off the target.
A goal still eluding them, India mounted pressure but the home side could not get a clear chance against the Vanuatuians who crowded their defence and played on the counter.
India's hard work seemed to have almost paid off in the 61st minute when Naorem sent yet another fine cross, this time from the left, and Chhetri won the header but it went wide by a few feet as his vision was blocked by goalie Massing Kalotang.
Stimac immediately made three substitutions with Anirudh Thapa, Jeakson Singh and Sahal Abdul Samad coming in for Naorem, Rohit Kumar and Rowlin Borges. A few minutes later, Sekar was taken off and Lallianzuala Chhangte brought in.
Despite the introduction of fresh legs, the Indians failed to breach the Vanuatu defence but not before Chhetri showed his class one more time to save the day for the home side.
An overlapping Shubashish Bose floated a pin-point cross on the left flank into the Vanuatu defence and Chhetri's left-footed volley was too good for goalie Kalotang who stood still even as the ball hit the net with nine minute left for the end of regulation time.
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