Chhetri scores on return as India beats Maldives to win a football match after 489 days
Chhetri scores on return as India beats Maldives to win a football match after 489 days
India defeated Maldives 3-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Wednesday in a FIFA International Friendly.
Seasoned defender Rahul Bheke (34’) and ‘Player of the Match’ Liston Colaco (66’) scored the first two goals for India with strong headers off corner kicks that brooked no defence to find the back of the net.
But the biggest cheers were reserved for skipper Sunil Chhetri, who scored his 95th international goal when he guided a Colaco cross from the left into the net with a swift header in the 76th minute.
The win paved the way for the Blue Tigers to break their 15-month international victory drought. It was also India’s first win under Spanish coach Manolo Marquez. India will now play Bangladesh in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers at the same venue on March 25.
The excitement at the JN Stadium, hosting a senior men’s international match for the first time, was evident from the beginning as legendary striker Chhetri made a comeback to the national team after 286 days to play his 152nd match.
With Colaco, Naorem Mahesh Singh and Brandon Fernandes doing their bit, the Blue Tigers tightened the noose in and around the Maldives defence. Yet, the breakthrough remained elusive.
It was broken in the 35th minute when Brandon’s corner from the left was met with a powerful header by Bheke that rifled inside like a bullet.
Thereafter, Maldives slowly faded away from the game as India took over in the second half. After a series of missed chances, Colaco picked up his first international goal in the 66th minute when he headed in a Mahesh Singh corner. Chhetri finally put the game to bed in the 76th minute with another header that angularly entered the net.
In the 82nd minute, Manolo decided to take off his star striker and bring Irfan Yadwad on. While Chhetri stepped off the ground with a hero’s welcome, India played out the rest of the outing with a firm grip over the proceedings.
Published on Mar 19, 2025
