India finally wins after 489 days while Sunil Chhetri scores the 95th International Return – Firstpost

India posted a dominant exhibition to defeat the Maldives 3-0 in an international friendly at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Shillong (Polo Ground) on Wednesday. The Blue Tigers checked the game from start to finish, with goals from Rahul Bheke, Liston Colaco and Sunil Chhetri sealing a well -deserved victory.

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India took the lead in the 34th minute when Bheke returned home a corner of Brandon Fernandes, giving the hosts a crucial advantage. In the 66th minute, Liston Colaco doubled his head with another clinical head, keeping the dynamics of India.

The highlight of the match occurred in the 77th minute, while Sunil Chhetri, playing his first match since his return from international retirement, scored his 95th international goal. Colaco sent a crossing of the left, which Chhetri exceeded two defenders and guided in the net with a header.

With this victory, India continues to take momentum before their third round match of the AFC Asian Crucial Cup in 2027 against Bangladesh on March 25.

India vs Maldives: full match report

Rahul Bheke gave India the advance in the 35th minute before Liston Colaco was 2-0 in the 66th minute.

Chhetri, 40, who returned to the national team after suspending his boots in May of last year, made a memorable day when he marked the third in India with a look at the 77th minute for his 95th international objective.

Captain Chhetri, who was refused by the goalkeeper of the Maldives in the 47th minute, was replaced by Irfan Yadwad in the 82nd minute. He returned to the national team after 286 days to play his 152nd game.

It was the first victory of India in 16 months and also first under Manolo Marquez who was appointed head coach in July of last year. The last victory of India was against Kuwait (1-0) during their rounding match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the city of Kuwait on November 16, 2023.

Before Wednesday, India under Marquez lost once and drew three times.

The Maldives are classified 162 in the world, 36 places below India (126).

It is also the first international game of Shillon.

Interestingly, all the objectives of India came out of the headers. Bheke and Colaco marked kicks out of the other. Chhetri has connected a beautiful coacco cross.

The crowd of the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium was almost on his feet in the very first minute when Chhetri created a movement that could have recovered a goal.

The crossing of Chhetri from the left to the goal of the shop was a jewel and a defensive error made things easier for India while the ball fell freely near the box of six yards. Naorem Mahesh Singh, however, failed to seize the opportunity.

The Indian captain was again there in the 14th minute. His delicate header of a free kick from the left has traveled the most invited Maldives goal, but none in the Indian front line could make the crucial connection.

The domination of India was clear with Colaco, Mahesh and Brandon Fernandes at the heart of things. The Blue Tigers tightened the knot flowing in and around the defense of the Maldives. However, the breakthrough remained elusive until the end of the first half.

The defenders of the Maldives also had to be credited because they established rapid authorizations, even if some were hasty and desperate.

In the 25th minute, a driver of the Colaco battery was perfect on the target, but the goalkeeper of the Maldives Hussain Shareef showed remarkable agility to thwart the attempt.

Shareef, however, was undoubtedly left in the 35th minute when the corner of Brandon on the left met a powerful head of Bheke.

Subsequently, the Maldives slowly disappeared from the game while India took over in the second half. After a failed series of chances, Colaco won his first international goal in the 66th minute when he headed in a Mahesh corner.

Chhetri finally put the game in bed in the 77th minute with another head that entered the net in the net.

(With agency entries)