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India took a big step towards qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the UAE by scoring a 2-0 away win against Macau at the Macau Olympic Stadium on Tuesday evening.
India now have the maximum nine points from three matches in Group A. The Men in Blue are close to qualifying for UAE 2019 as they next host Macau in Bengaluru on October 10 and with another victory the qualificaton for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup would be a done deal after earlier wins over Myanmar and the Kyrgyz Republic.
The match winner was substitute India striker Balwant Singh who scored both of the goals on the night.
India needed some time to settle down, but once they did, they controlled proceedings only that the opening goal not coming in the first 45 minutes with midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s attempt against the crossbar was the best of the lot.
India coach Stephen Constantine decision in the break to take off Eugeneson and bring on Balwant would bring on the win. But before that in the 53rd minute it was the turn of captain Sunil Chhetri to hit the woodwork. In the 57th minute Narayan Das played a lovely cross into the box and there Balwant Singh headed in India’s lead.
Macau continued to be outplayed by India, but they had to wait until the 82nd minute to seal the victory. A Gurpreet Singh Sandhu long ball was missed by the Macau defence and an alert Balwant Singh chipped the ball over keeper Ho Man Fai to give India the 2-0 lead.
India could have added a third through hard working midfielder Rowlinn Borges, but his attempt was judged offside by the match officials.
In the end, India scored a rather easy 2-0 win over Macau to strengthen their grip over Group A and move close to an AFC Asian Cup berth.
MATCH STATS
Macau 0-2 (0-0) India
Goals: 0-1,0-2 Balwant Singh (57′,82′)
MACAU: Ho Man Fai – Lei Ka Him, Carlos Leonel, C.I. Choi, Cheang Cheng Ieong Paulo [C] (85′ Ho Chi Fong), Lam Ngai Tong, Lam Ka Seng, Kam Chi Hou, Kong Cheng Hou (85′ Lei Kam Hong), Lei Ka Hou, Pang Chi Hang (46′ Leong Ka Hang)
INDIA: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu – Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan, Anas Edathodika, Narayan Das – Udanta Singh (80′ Jackichand Singh), Rowllin Borges, Eugeneson Lyngdoh (46′ Balwant Singh), Halicharan Narzary – Sunil Chhetri [C], Jeje Lalpekhlua (87′ Germanpreet Singh)
Referee: Ahmed Faisal Mohammad Alali (Jordan)
