India registered an emphatic 3-1 win over Sri Lanka in their 3rd round match of the Nehru Cup 2009. The team kept the tempo up throughout the match and displayed zero slackness despite the islanders as easy rivals.
|Last Updated: Aug 26, 2009, 10:23 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: India registered an emphatic 3-1 win over Sri Lanka in their 3rd round match of the Nehru Cup 2009. The team kept the tempo up throughout the match and displayed zero slackness despite the islanders as easy rivals.
The strikers were on the right foot as Bhaichung Bhutia, Gourmangi Singh and Steven Dias netted a goal each.Captain Bhaichung Bhutia (25th), Gouramangi Singh (69th) and Steven Dias (85th) scored for India while WDRD Warakagoda
found the net in the 61st minute for Sri Lanka.
The home team, which produced their best performance of
the tournament so far in a free-flowing match today, could
have won by a bigger margin had not they wasted the chances
galore that came their way.
India, who dominated for most part of the match, now have
six points -- from two wins and a loss -- from three matches.
They next play Syria in their last match on August 29. They
will be virtually through to the final if Syria beat or draw
Lebanon tomorrow.
For most of the match, play remained at the Sri Lankan
half and with midfielders NP Pradeep and Climax Lawrence
shrugging off their indifferent form, the Indians made
constant pressure at the Lankan goal.
Right winger Steven Dias was the livewire of the home
team as he essayed several crosses into the Sri Lankan box.
Wing backs Surkumar Singh, who received a yellow card, and
Mahesh Gawli also made overlapping runs down the flanks to
make life difficult for the Lankans.
As early as the second minute, a fine pass by Climax
Lawrence beat the off-side trap but NP Pradeep`s attempt to
chip over the advancing Lankan goalkeeper failed.
In quick succession, India got a flurry of chances and
Sunil Chhetri headed in a free kick taken by Steven Dias in
the 13th mniute, but was ruled off-side. A furious India coach
Bob Houghton was seen apparently telling the line official
that it was a legal goal.
Three minutes later, left back Mahesh Gawli had a free
shot from inside the Lankan box after being fed by Chhetri but
he shot over in a hurry.
In the 20th minute, Dias` right footer from a close angle
off a pass by Surkumar kissed the crossbar. Immediately after
that, Bhutia failed to connect properly an Anthony Pereira low
cross from the left after a Pradeep initiative.
Bhutia, who was adjudged the man of the match, made
amends in the 25th minutes to give India the lead as he
connected a Dias cross from the right with a powerful header
off a move initiated by Surkumar.
With a perfectly timed jump, the diminutive striker rose
over his marker before sending the ball into the Lankan net
for his second goal of the tournament as the home crowd who
had almost filled the stadium burst into wild celebration.
India started the second half shakily before coming close
to doubling the lead in the 50th minute when Bhutia`s glancing
header off a Surkumar aerial pass beat the Lankan goalkeeper
only to be denied by the left upright.
Nine minutes later, Bhutia had another attempt at the
Lankan goal but this time his left footer went straight into
the goalkeeper.
India paid dearly for their poor defending and conceded
the equaliser in the 61st minute when an unmarked WDRD
Warakagoda headed home a Raumy Mohideen corner.
Four minutes later, India threatened to take the lead
again but Lankan goalkeeper HMA Kumara made a brilliant save
jumping up in time near the right top corner of the net to
punch away a curling Dias free kick.
Egged on by the vociferous supporters, India went on to
the lead from a move started from a set piece in the 69th
minute.
Dias` curling free kick was met with a volley by Pradeep
which the Lankan goalkeeper blocked but off the rebound
defender Gouramangi Singh slammed the ball home.
India were unlucky again in the 77th minute as Pradeep`s
right footer beat a diving goalkeeper but hit the right post
and came back to play.
India, however, took the game out of Sri Lanka`s reach in
the 85th minute when Dias fired in a right-footer from an
acute angle after he was nicely set up by Pradeep.
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