ABU DHABI: Indian football’s goal machine Sunil Chhetri struck a brace to help the country stunningly outplay Thailand 4-1 and record its first victory in the Asian Cup since 1964 on a historic night here on Sunday.
Playing in his second Asian Cup and 105th match, Chhetri scored in the 27th (penalty) and 46th minutes for his 66th and 67th goals to become the second highest international goal scorer among active players.
Credit: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sunil Chhetri walked up to Anirudh Thapa, passed on instructions, and then jogged back into the box. It was a free-kick for India on the right edge of the box with an angle too acute for a direct shot.
Chhetri wouldn’t take the free-kick, leaving it for the young midfielder instead. But there was no keeping him away from the action. Inside the six-yard-box, he was dwarfed in front of the towering Kenyan midfielder Patilah Omoto. There would have been no chance for the 33-year-old to win a header against the muscular six-footer. Surely, he knew that.
Credit: http://indianexpress.com
MUMBAI: Sunil Chhetri remembers a certain photograph, taken on a June evening in 2005. During breakfast in the morning, the national coach Sukhwinder Singh had announced that the then 20-year-old will be making his senior India debut later that day. Against Pakistan, at the Ayub Football Stadium in Quetta, Pakistan, Chhetri lined-up with the Indian national team for the first time. And a few minutes into the match he opened the scoring.
“I was so happy that I forgot we were playing in Pakistan because I went near the stands and started celebrating in front of the Pakistani fans,” he recalls. “There’s a very sad photograph where I’m doing this in front of the fans, and nobody on the team followed me.”
Credit: indianexpress.com