India vs Macau AFC Asian Cup qualifier highlights: IND win 4-1, qualify for finals
Indian national football team beat Macau 4-1 in their AFC Asian Cup qualifying match at Bangalore’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium. Rowllin Borges, Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua scored for the hosts who have qualified for the the finals in the UAE (2019) Get final football score and highlights of the India vs Macau match here
With a clinical performance, India beat Macau 4-1 in their AFC Asian Cup qualifying match at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday to qualify for the 2019 edition of the continental tournament in the UAE. India and Macau scored a goal apiece in the first half . India, who controlled the midfield for a good part of the first half, scored first through Rowllin Borges. Nicholas Tarrao scored Macau’s equaliser in the 37th minute. India then went 2-1 up at the start of the second half through a strike from Sunil Chhetri. A self goal in the 71st minute gave the hosts a 3-1 lead while an added-time strike by Jeje Lalpekhlua sealed things for the hosts. Get final football score and highlights of the India vs Macau match here. (Match report)
9:45 pm IST: This is the third time India have qualified for the AFC Asian Cup (in 37 years). The last time Indians featured in the continental tournament was in 2011 while their only appearance before that was way back in 1984. In the 2011 edition in Doha, India lost all their group matches -- to Australia, South Korea and Bahrain.
9:40 pm IST: India have ensured qualification with two more matches left to play in their qualifying campaign. They are atop Group A with 12 points from four matches and play Myanmar on November 24 and Kyrgyzstan on March 27 next year.
9:30 pm IST: India have qualified for the continental tournament after a gap of six years. They last qualified for the 2011 edition of the AFC Asian Cup.
9:20 pm IST: That’s it, it’s official. India beat Macau 4-1 in their AFC Asian Cup qualifier match in Bengaluru to seal qualification for the finals to be played in the UAE in 2019.
9:16 pm IST: Goal again, Chetri collects a long ball, squares it to Jeje Lalpekhlua inside the box and this time, the India No 12 doesn’t make a mistake. India lead 4-1.
9:15 pm IST: Three minutes of added time. Macau trying long balls into the Indian area. Speculative passes at best, these. India lead 3-1.
9:13 pm IST: Jeje Lalpekhlua gets a brilliant chance to score but shoots it wide. Sunil Chhetri squares a ball for Jeje inside the Macau box. Jeje changes direction but his shot, though powerful goes wide. It’s 3-1 India with just two minutes left to play. India on the verge of qualifying.
9:07 pm IST: Constantine makes another change -- a defensive one. Clearly, the Indian coach is happy to maintain the 3-1 lead and see through the match. Salam Ranjan Singh in place Anas Edathodika. One defender in place of another, but a fresh pair of legs to stop the Macau advances. A little over eight minutes left to play now.
9:04 pm IST: Indians are increasingly sitting back and relying on counters. Macau is controlling more of the midfield now. But a 2-0 cushion has given Constantine to go defensive with the 3-1 lead. Just 12 minutes left to play.
9:00 pm IST: Goalkeeper Gurpreet Sandhu called into action again. Macau seems to be on attack mode searching for the equaliser. But Indians have shown many times in this match that they can be very dangerous on the fast break. Constantine’s strategy for now seems to be just that.
8:58 pm IST: A goal. India take 3-1 lead. Holicharan Narzary gets the ball into the box while a Macau defender kicks to clear it. The ball ricochets and goes up in the air and falls into goal. This should guarantee India’s qualification for the AFC Asian Cup 2019, clearly.
8:57 pm IST: Straight away a move up the field for Macau. Nicholas Tarrao gets the ball but he was unable to get a clear shot as Sandesh Jhingan shut the angle.
8:55 pm IST: Macau coach makes his change. Pang Chi Hang is on the field now, a more attack-minded player in for the visitors.
8:51 pm IST: India coach makes his first change. Goalscorer Rowllin Borges gets substituted. Mohammad Rafique takes his place on the pitch.
8:48 pm IST: The goal came as a result of a counter attack from the right flag. Sandesh Jhingan broke free and ran up till the Macau goal before crossing it to Chhetri in the middle who made no mistakes. The Indian skipper was so business like that he didn’t celebrate the goal. Instead called on his players to regroup. Obviously Chhetri knows there is more work to be done.
8:46 pm IST: It’s a goal. Sunil Chhetri, who else, with a clinical strike. India lead 2-1.
8:45 pm IST: Nicholas Tarrao gets a brilliant feed right at the edge of the Indian box. The Macau striker, however choses to toe-poke the balll and it swerves out wide of the Indian left upright.
8:42 pm IST: A long range pass from the middle to the right flank and India get a cross in. But the threat is warded off. The resultant corner produces a header from Sunil Chhetri but Macau goalkeeper Ho Fai punches it out.
8:37 pm IST: Cagey start to the second half. India coach Stephen Constantine is shouting out instructions to his team as they try to look to move the ball up the field.
8:15 pm IST: It’s half time at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. The scores are tied at 1-1 with Rowllin Borges scoring for India and Nicholas Tarrao equalising for Macau.
8:12 pm IST: The tempo of the game has slowed down a little as we approach half time. Both teams seems to be interested in keeping the 1-1 scoreline going into the break, regroup and then come back with vigour. However, the Indians would be a little deflated after the conceding the goal, which could have been avoided had the backline been more alert.
8:09 pm IST: The goal was the result of the defensive lapse from the Indians. Tarrao was left unmarked in the area as a cross was floated in from the right flank. Two defenders, who were beside him reacted late and Tarrao’s shot was deflected by one of them into the goal. It’s 1-1 in Bengaluru.
8:07 pm IST: Goal! Nicholas Tarrao equalises for Macau. It’s 1-1 after 38 minutes.
8:02 pm IST: Jeje Lalpekhlua sends a sensational pass to midfielder Borges, who wasted no time in striking hard for the opening goal. 1-0 and the goal seems to have put more energy into the Indian players. It is clear they want to build on this lead.
7:58 pm IST: Rowllin Borges scores the opening goal for India. 1-0.
7:57 pm IST: It’s a goal. It’s 1-0 India
7:56 pm IST: Macau custodian Ho Fai have been busy under the bar. Indians have been able to make inroads to the Macau box, thanks to the pace on both sides of the field. But the feeds to the middle have been rather desirable.
7:50 pm IST: In the 21st minute India get a freekick. However, Sunil Chhetri fired the shot over the bar. The scores are level at 1-1.
7:49 pm IST: In the very next minute, Jackichand Singh races up the right flank. But the cross finds Macau custodian
7: 48 pm IST: A freekick for Macau in a dangerous position, right outside the India box. But the kick sails above the crossbar.
7:47 pm IST: Quick exchanges in the middle from both the teams. After the initial 10 minutes, once it started pouring heavily, both India and Macau are finding it difficult to control the midfield. The hosts, however, are managing to get some moves up till the opposition post.
7:43 pm IST: It’s raining quite heavily at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium now. The wet pitch might create problems for both the teams as far as smooth play is concerned. As of now, the Indian team seems to be least affected by the weather. They are trying crisp one-touch passes in the middle, before trying to build from the flanks.
7: 40 pm IST: Macau gets a move up till the Indian penalty box. But a weak attempt ( a deflection rather) is easily dealt with by the Indian goalkeeper, Gurpreet Sandhu.
7:38 pm IST: Another move by India from a freekick up the left flank. But the cross finds the Macau goalkeeper.
7: 35 pm IST: It’s drizzling in Bengaluru. Another chance for India. Sunil Chhetri and Jackichand Singh complete a one-two move at the mouth of the Macau box but their goalkeeper is there to stop Chhetri from a clear strike.
7:31 pm IST: Match begins with the Indian team trying to assert its authority in midfield. And, in virtually the first move of the game, down the right flank, India a brilliant chance to score but the goalkeeper punches his header wide.
7:23 pm IST: The teams have walked into the pitch and it’s time for the respective national anthems.
7:17 pm IST: A win against Macau will ensure a place in the 2019 Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, having last played the continental championship in 2011. Kick-off at 7:30 PM IST.
7:05 pm IST: India are the top placed side in Group A with nine points from three matches. Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar, who played a 2-2 on Tuesday in Yangon, are second and third respectively. Both have four points each but Kyrgyzstan are ahead on goal difference.
6:51 pm IST: Ranked 107 in the world, placed India have an all-win record so far in the AFc Asian Cup qualifiers. India beat lower ranked teams Kyrgyz Republic (ranked 128) and Myanmar (ranked 157) earlier by solitary goal margins before defeating Macau (182 on FIFA ranking) 2-0 away and are full of confidence.
India rode a pair of goals from Balwant Singh to return with full points in Macau on September 9. The scoreline may look emphatic but Macau’s defence gave the Indians a tough time.
“Yes, we struggled there. We had to work hard to penetrate them. In no way, we can take them lightly. We did work on our mistakes and I hope we’ll implement them in Bangalore,” admitted Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri.
Stephen Constantine should be able to play his first XI. There are no injury worries and Bangalore’s cool evenings should facilitate a good contest.
Macau head coach Chan Hiu Ming rated the Indian football team highly at the pre-match press conference.
“India are the better team undoubtedly. We’re trying to close the gaps. They have quite a few great players, like 11 (Sunil Chhetri) and others. We’ll give our best and it’s going to be a great experience for my boys.”
The match is scheduled to kick-off at 7.30pm.
