KOLKATA: India stormed into the main round of next year's Asian Cup with a 4-0 thrashing of Hong Kong, finishing their final-round qualifying campaign with a perfect record and topping Group D with nine points.
The clock ticked just 56 seconds when India launched the demolition job, defender Anwar Ali scooping up his maiden goal in Blue Tigers colours to provide a remarkable finish to the team's very first attack of the match. The imperious Sunil Chhetri made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time, taking his international tally to 84 goals, which put him on a par with Hungarian football legend Ferenc Puskas.
Second-half substitutes Manvir Singh (85 minutes) and Ishan Pandita (90+3) put the icing on the cake with two late goals in quick succession as India scripted their biggest win under Croatian coach Igor Stimac. It was mission accomplished more than eight hours before the Stimac-managed side took on Hong Kong to finish their final Group D qualifying game.
Palestine's 4-0 demolition of the Philippines in their final Group B encounter in Ulaanbaatar earlier in the day meant both India and Hong Kong knew that their berths in football's biggest stage in the continent were confirmed.
"Here We Come!" - the Indian football team's official twitter declared soon after that result as the news of India's qualification exploded on social media platforms.
Eight hours later, Chhetri and Co. masterminded their third straight win in the group to seal the deal in style and with swagger. The game was just a minute old when Roshan's short corner saw Jeakson Singh float in an inviting cross towards the box. Ashique Kuruniyan's first attempt to it was blocked by a Hong Kong defender but Anwar was on hand to snap up the rebound with a powerful volley.
Stung by the early reversal, Hong Kong immediately asked answers from Sandesh Jhingan and Co. Just then a storm, followed by torrential rain, lashed the stadium but India showed they possessed the strength of mind and body to weather such storm.
Nowadays, the minimalism of Chhetri's style often leaves him looking peripheral but when opportunity presented itself, he always appears to be the first to pounce on it. That exactly happened on the cusp of half-time when Jeakson whipped in a free-kick, and Chhetri, exhibiting his stunning sense of alacrity, was the first to get off the blocks and when the Hong Kong defensive line could get a grasp of his alacrity, Sunil was already there, unchallenged and near the six-yard box and beat the goalkeeper with a cool and composed left-footed finish.
The game as a contest thus over, Stimac effected a series of changes, taking off Chhetri, Ashique and Sahal among others.
