Sunil Chhetri scores on return to international football as India beat Maldives 3-0

The Indian men’s football team beat the Maldives 3-0 in an international friendly match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Wednesday. This was India’s first win under head coach Manolo Márquez.

Rahul Bheke (35’) opened the scoring in the first half while Liston Colaco (66’) and India’s all-time leading goal-scorer Sunil Chhetri (77’), who was returning to international football after coming out of retirement, found the back of the net in the second half.

This was India’s final preparatory match before their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers third-round campaign.

India dominated from the outset, controlling possession and creating chances.

Sunil Chhetri’s second-minute cross caused confusion in Maldives’ defence as Naorem Mahesh pounced on a loose ball. However, his effort was blocked by the away team’s goalkeeper and resulted in a corner.

India continued to press as a set-piece from the left in the 15th minute flashed dangerously across the face of goal without a decisive touch.

Moments later, a Suresh Wangjam cross from the right found Brandon Fernandes on the edge of the box but his first-time strike was off target.

Liston Colaco emerged as a persistent threat down the left, troubling Maldives’ defence constantly and narrowly missed the target with a powerful freekick in the 25th minute. Mehtab Singh’s header from a corner soon after also failed to trouble the goalkeeper.

The breakthrough finally came in the 35th minute when Brandon Fernandes delivered a pinpoint corner and Rahul Bheke rose to meet it with a powerful header to give India the lead.

The hosts continued to probe for a second but couldn’t convert their chances before the break. India went into half-time with a well-deserved 1-0 lead.

India maintained their dominance after the break, nearly doubling their lead early in the second half.

A powerful Sunil Chhetri header from a corner in the 47th minute seemed destined for the net, but a crucial goalline clearance by a Maldives defender kept the visitors in the contest.

Farukh Choudhary had a golden opportunity to score India’s second after a clever ball over the Maldives defence in the 52nd minute.

However, with only the goalkeeper to beat, Farukh Choudhary fired his shot over the crossbar as the away defence breathed a sigh of relief.

Farukh Choudhary was involved in the thick of things again and nearly set up a goal in the 65th minute when his cutback from the right found Liston Colaco, whose goal-bound effort was kept out by the Maldives custodian’s outstretched leg, resulting in a corner.

The ensuing corner was floated into the far post for Colaco to head home and double India’s lead in the 66th minute. Colaco’s goal was his first in national colours.

The Blue Tigers went on to extend their lead even further in the 77th minute and it was the returning Sunil Chhetri, who beat his man at the near post and headed home Colaco’s cross from the left to make it 3-0.

The hosts had a few more chances but couldn’t capitalise as Maldives ensured that they didn’t concede any more goals.

India's next match will be their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying third-round opener against Bangladesh at the same venue on March 25.

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