Home boys upset higher-ranked Puerto Rico

Members of the Indian team celebrate a goal against Puerto Rico in their friendly in Mumbai on Saturday. The hosts won 4-1. (Photo: PTI )

Experienced India footballer Sunil Chhetri had a role in the first three goals as India upset a lethargic Puerto Rico 4-1 in an international friendly football match at the Andheri Sports Complex here on Saturday.

The all-time top goalscorer for India assisted twice and scored in between to hand India a two-goal advantage in the first half. Narayan Das and Jeje Lalpekhlua were the other scorers as India rallied strongly after Emmanuel Sanchez scored from the spot in the seventh minute. Jackichand Singh sealed the affair in the second half dominated surprisingly by the 152nd-ranked hosts against the world no. 114 Puerto Rico.

Chhetri was masterful especially in the first half posing regular problems to the jetlagged visitors’ defence. He was supported well by Jeje upfront. Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Jackichand were livewires in the midfield and their moments were too brisk for seemingly under-cooked Puerto Rico. Arnab Mondal led the defence well to make it compact after the initial blemish.

It was a slow build-up to the game from Puerto Rico who had arrived with a 15-member squad on Friday evening and soon took to practice to get feel of the conditions.

A nervy India conceded an early penalty after Elliot Velez was tackled by Jakichand on the top left corner of the box. Emmanuel Sanchez found the right far corner with ease giving goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu no chance.

Mumbai had last hosted an international game against the USSR in 1955 and a vociferous crowd nearing 7,000 were in no mood to lower their pitch. They kept the decibel levels up, boosting India to press hard in search of an equaliser and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 17th minute.

A tricky one-two between Chhetri and Bikash Jairu forced a tackle by Jacob Conde to bring Jairu down just outside the box. Chhetri’s peach of a free-kick hit the upright and Das placed it nicely on the rebound.

Chhetri was on target in the second shot at goal in the 24th minute after earning a free-kick. His grounder shot taken just outside the box eluded the wall and struck the inner side of the post to roll in as Puerto Rico goalkeeper Johny Santana remained a spectator.

India kept attacking effectively. Jakichand’s ball from the right to Jeje in the centre gave India another sniff at the goal but Jeje’s lob was just over. The Mizoram striker was soon on the scoresheet after he placed a header into the net obliging a headed assist by Chhetri, who was fed well off a cross from Pritam Kotal from the right.

India continued to dominate in the second half and had an early chance to strengthen their lead.

The visitors changed goalkeeper Santana with Christofer Echevarria but he too was beaten by Jackichand in the 58th minute, who slotted the ball home from an acute angle.