It wasn’t pretty, but in the circumstances, it doesn’t need to be. India’s football team, strengthened by the arrival of squad members who had been delayed, stayed alive in the Asian Games by grinding out a 1-0 victory over Bangladesh, thanks to an 81st minute penalty from Sunil Chhetri, captain and talisman.
“It was a well-deserved win, with all that’s been going on around us,” said Igor Stimac, the national coach. “Once again, our boys left everything out there and did exactly as I told them. I asked them to be patient and the goal would come. Keeping a clean sheet was very important.”
India had lost their opening game 5-1 to China, the hosts, who play Myanmar later on Thursday. Sunday’s game against Myanmar is likely to be a winner-take-all affair, with the victor guaranteed a spot in the last 16.
India knocked on the door a few times against Bangladesh, especially in the final moments of the first half, but it needed an ice-cool Chhetri penalty to make the difference, after Bryce Miranda had been fouled in the box.
🚨 Full Time
Sunil Chhetri’s solitary strike from the spot kick ensured India edge past Bangladesh 1-0 in the #AsianGames2023 group stage clash.
📷 @SonySportsNetwk#IndianFootball #INDvBAN #SunilChhetri @chetrisunil11 #BlueTigers #BackTheBlue pic.twitter.com/02xcfN08uZ
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) September 21, 2023
“I would never take him out in such games even if he just walks across the pitch,” said Stimac after the game about his leader. “He is our captain, a legend. I hope there are more goals to come from him.”
The Indian camp was also heartened by the arrival of Gurkirat Singh, the Mumbai City forward who came on as a late second-half substitute, after having missed a connection flight from Hong Kong on Wednesday. “We have more options now after Narender [Gahlot], Sana [Chinglensana Singh], Gurkirat and Aniket [Jadhav] joined us,” said Stimac. “It was clear today that with a stronger bench, we can go through the game without suffering much.”
If Myanmar avoid a thumping against China, a draw against India might be enough to take them through as group runners-up. “We need to check other scores, and even three points might be enough to qualify, but we are not here to calculate,” said a relieved Stimac afterwards. “We’ll go for a win in the last game.”
India have won two of their last three matches against Myanmar, drawing the other. That includes a 1-0 win in March 2023, when an Anirudh Thapa goal was the difference between the sides.