SAFF Cup: Robin Singh’s brace guides India to victory
India defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in their opening match of the 11th South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship at the Trivandrum International stadium in Kerala on Friday. Bengaluru FC forward Robin Singh starred for the hosts with a second half brace before being stretchered off the field with an injury.
India started the match in the 4-4-2 formation with Arnab Mondal and Augustin Fernandes at the heart of the defence after injuries ruled out Sandesh Jhingan and Anas Edathodika out of the tournament. Captain Sunil Chhetri started on the left side of the midfield with Robin Singh and Jeje Jeje Lalpekhlua combining to form the strike force.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka, who scored an injury time goal to register victory against Nepal in the opening game, made five changes to the starting line-up with only a draw needed to confirm their place in the semi-finals.
The hosts attacked from the opening minute and almost went ahead in the sixth minute with a thumping header from Sunil Chhetri testing Sri Lankan goalkeeper Sujan Perera. The goalkeeper found himself once again in the firing line in the 12th minute after an error from the Sri Lankan defence gave space for Jeje to run at the goal. The striker’s effort to lob the ball above the goalkeeper was thwarted by the custodian’s last ditch effort.
India, ranked 166th in the world, controlled the majority of the possession in the first half with Sri Lanka sticking to their own half. Sri Lanka’s defensive strategy worked well in the opening half as the frustrated Indians went for glory shots from outside the box.
Sunil Chhetri found a crack in the Sri Lankan defence in the 37th minute after a brilliant ball from Eugeneson Lyngdoh found the captain. The Bengaluru FC forward cut inside the box and took a shot, only to find the Sri Lankan custodian at the end of it.
After the goal-less first half, Indian coach Stephen Constantine brought on Rowlin Borges for Pranoy Halder to give Eugenson Lyngdoh the opportunity to bomb forward. Sri Lanka’s compact defence, which kept a tight leash on the Indians in the first half was shredded to pieces in the 51st minute as Chhetri and Robin Singh combined to put India ahead. Chhetri cut in from the left bypassing two Lankan defenders to find Robin all alone in the box, the lanky forward made no mistake as his left footed shot crashed into the Lankan goal.
With Sri Lanka’s defensive ploy proving fruitless, the Islanders pushed forward in search of the equaliser leaving spaces for Indian strikers to exploit. India almost went 2-0 ahead in the 66th minute with a left footed shot from Sanju Pradhan heading for the goal, only to find his shot saved by Sujan Perera. The Sri Lankan custodian once again proved to be the thorn in the Indian flesh in the 68th minute after a close range header from Jeje was kept out by the goalkeeper.
India finally went ahead in the 72nd minute after a header from Chhetri found Robin Singh in the box and the scuffed shot from the striker found its way into the goal beating Mohamed Alawadeen’s last ditch efforts. The celebrations of the goal turned into worry as Robin Singh was stretchered off the field after injuring himself in the process of scoring the goal. (Read: World Cup Qualifiers: Robin Singh gifts India opening victory with win against Guam)
The forward was replaced by India U-19 midfielder Lallianzuala Chhangte, who made his debut for the senior national side. India came close to the increasing their tally in the final fifteen minutes after the Islanders pushed forward in search of a goal. Youngster Lallianzuala Chhangte impressed in his cameo by combing well with veteran Chhetri to test the Lankan defence. With 79 percent of possession in the match, Stephen Constantine’s side delivered a masterful performance to kick start their SAFF cup campaign.
In their second match of the group stage, India will take on Nepal at the Trivandrum International stadium in Kerala on Sunday. (Read: AIFF issue show cause notice to Romeo and Mandar)