Agencies
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 27: India ended Nepal’s hopes of making it into the semifinals of the SAFF Championships by an emphatic 4-1 margin of victory in their second group A game here Sunday evening at the International Stadium.
Bimal Magar put the Nepalese ahead in the third minute before Rowllin Borges equalised in the 26th minute. Sunil Chhetri (68th) and substitute Lallianzuala Chhangte (81st and 90th) scored goals in the second half helped the Blue Tigers top their group with two wins from as many games and also book a place in the last four of the tournament.
The second half saw both coaches make a change each. India coach Steven Constantine brought in Lallinzuala Chhangte for Sanju Pradhan while goal scorer Magar was replaced by Jagjit Shrestha.
Nepal had a couple of good attempts on goal but Subrata Paul did well to deny Nawayug and Hema Gurung in the first half.
Chhetri scored the second goal for India capitalising on a mistake by Jitendra Karki. Holicharan Narzary’s cross found Chhetri whose first touch allowed him to take the ball away from the Nepalese centre-back Karki. In the open space created, the Indian skipper advanced a few paces before unleashing a right-footer that hit the roof of the net giving the opposition custodian no chance.
India could have had their third goal soon after. This was after Chhetri found Narzary whose shot was blocked before Chhangte picked up the pieces and his eventual shot was cleared off the line by Aditya Chaudhary.
Substitute Anil Gurung had a chance as he got beyond the Indian defence which saw Paul come off his line to close the angle. His shot was deflected for a corner in the 74th minute.
Chhangte became the youngest Indian goal scorer in the 81st minute as he cut in from the right and his left-footed shot went straight into the far corner.
Narzary too had a chance to add his name on the scoresheet but his shot from the left was kept out by the Nepal custodian.
India added their fourth goal in the 90th minute. Borges played a sublime ball over the top of the Nepal defence which saw Chhangte run across and head it home to score his second of the evening amidst scenes of jubilation at the stadium.