Charismatic captain and soon-to-be father Sunil Chhetri performed the position of saviour to perfection as soon as once more as he scored the lone purpose in India’s 1-0 win over lower-ranked Vanuatu within the Intercontinental Cup in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Chhetri struck within the 81st minute to settle the nerves of the Indians — each gamers and followers — on the Kalinga Stadium to place the house facet in a powerful place for a spot within the last. India had earlier overwhelmed Mongolia 2-0 of their opening match on Friday.

The 38-year-old Chhetri, who consolidated his place because the third-most prolific lively participant together with his 86th-minute strike in his one hundred and thirty fifth worldwide match, celebrated the purpose by letting the world know that he’s going to be a father quickly as he slid the ball under his jersey and into his stomach. His spouse Sonam was proven clapping on the massive display screen.

With six factors from two wins, India are presently on prime of the desk. They play Lebanon on Thursday of their final round-robin league match.

The A hundred and first-ranked India have been clearly the higher facet within the first half with 62 per cent ball possession and at the very least a dozen makes an attempt on opposition purpose however most of them have been off track. Vanuatu, ranked 164th on the earth, didn’t have a single shot on the right track within the first half.

Debutant Nandhakumar Sekar had a good outing as he was within the thick of issues in the course of the park and was concerned in a number of Indian build-ups.

But he wasted India’s lone actual probability of the primary session, hitting extensive off a effective by means of ball from Mahesh Naorem within the thirty sixth minute.

Naorem was an actual risk for the Vanuatu defence as one other of his measured crosses from the best discovered Chhetri within the clear within the fortieth minute however the ball flew inches above the India captain’s head with solely the goalkeeper forward.

With half time approaching, India pressed for a purpose they usually have been everywhere in the Vanuatuian last third however a purpose eluded Igor Stimac’s facet.

In the injury-added time of the primary half, Vanuatu ahead Alex Saniel’s proper footer from simply exterior the Indian field was means off the goal.

A purpose nonetheless eluding them, India mounted strain however the house facet couldn’t get a transparent probability towards the Vanuatuians who crowded their defence and performed on the counter.

India’s arduous work appeared to have nearly paid off within the 61st minute when Naorem despatched one more effective cross, this time from the left, and Chhetri received the header nevertheless it went extensive by just a few ft as his imaginative and prescient was blocked by goalie Massing Kalotang.

Stimac instantly made three substitutions with Anirudh Thapa, Jeakson Singh and Sahal Abdul Samad coming in for Naorem, Rohit Kumar and Rowlin Borges. A couple of minutes later, Sekar was taken off and Lallianzuala Chhangte introduced in.

Despite the introduction of contemporary legs, the Indians didn’t breach the Vanuatu defence however not earlier than Chhetri confirmed his class another time to avoid wasting the day for the house facet.

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 nonetheless even because the ball hit the online with 9 minute left for the tip of regulation time.

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