Kiwis down hosts, stay in final hunt

Mumbai: New Zealand reserved their best against India in their last league match of the Intercontinental Cup at Mumbai Football Arena here on Thursday. The All Whites grabbed a deserving 2-1 win to give themselves a chance to meet the hosts again in Sunday’s final.

It was India’s first defeat at the venue since they made it home in 2016. Sunil Chhetri scored his 62nd international goal two minutes after the break which was nullified by Andre Ernest de Jong two minutes later. Moses John Dyer scored the winner late in the match. Winger Sarpreet Singh assisted in both Kiwi goals.

Stephen Constantine made as many as seven changes to the starting XI from the previous game, fielding a young side with Chhetri for support. The captain was given his 101st cap as the crowd had come in numbers to back him like in the previous game.

Goalkeeper Amrinder Singh, left-winger Ashique Kuruniyan and defender Salam Ranjan Singh were handed their first starts for the national team.

New Zealand who needed a win to give themselves chance to qualify pressed first up and Kuruniyan had to make some smart clearances to avert danger. A nice grab from Mumbai City FC regular Amrinder also denied the Kiwis.

India made a couple of counters and Chhetri almost decieved goalkeeper Michael Woud but the Kiwi recovered to get control of the ball.

India survived a rasping strike from rival skipper Cameron Howeison that was just wide of the far post. With India failing to build attacks Constantine replaced right winger Mohd Rafique with Udanta half an hour into play.

New Zealand coach Fritz Schmid also had made four changes and the hosts were on the back foot in the first half. Striker Myer Bevan’s header was kept away by Amrinder and Rowlin Borges made a clearance near the goal line to deny Niko Boxall.

Not surprisingly India made three changes after the break with regulars Jeje Lalpekhlua, Holicharan Narzary and Pronoy Halder making their way in. The result was immediate as Chhetri gave India the lead courtesy a ricochet off his legs after an attempted regulation clearance from Woud on a back pass.

The lead didn’t last long as the Kiwis opened up India’s defense with left winger Sarpreet on the move and de Jong came up with calm finish to restore parity. New Zealand lost steam in the middle of the second half with India carrying some attacks from left wing. The All Whites found their mojo again with Noah James Billingsey’s close range shot blocked by Ranjan Singh.

Substitute Dyer ultimately got them the lead with a smart finish after Sarpreet fed him well.