Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Macau: Half-time substitute Balwant Singh scored twice as India maintained their 100% record in Group A of the final round of 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers with a 2-0 win over Macau on Tuesday.
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Singh replaced Eugeneson Lyngdoh at half-time at Macau Olympic Stadium for a frustrated India, who hit the crossbar twice inside the opening 51 minutes.
And the striker netted his second international goal in the 57th minute with a header from Narayan Das’ cross to finally open the scoring for the dominant visitors.
And with Singh capitalising on a mistake by the home side with eight minutes remaining, India added to their earlier wins over Myanmar and the Kyrgyz Republic while handing Macau a third defeat in as many games during the final round.
India enjoyed the greater share of possession and the better of the chances in the first-half at the Macau Olympic Stadium, with Lyngdoh unlucky not to break the deadlock nine minutes before half-time as his strike cannoned back off the crossbar.
Veteran striker Sunil Chhetri was also a constant threat for the visitors inside the opening 45 minutes, although India were unable to find a breakthrough.
And just six minutes into the second-half it was Chhetri’s turn to be denied by the woodwork as his header crashed back off the crossbar.
But India’s domination continued and the visitors were finally rewarded as powerful striker Singh headed home Das’ cross three minutes before the hour mark giving Macau goalkeeper Ho Man-fai no chance.
India continued to press for a second goal their display deserved and it finally arrived with eight minutes remaining as a long ball from goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was missed by the Macau defence and the striker took full advantage to lift the ball over exposed goalkeeper Ho.
Rowllin Borges had the ball in the net for India in stoppage, but an offside flag denied the visitors a third goal.
Photo: All India Football Federation