India thrash Laos 6-1. Image Source: Twitter[/caption]Internet Desk: India came back strongly after conceding early to beat Laos 6-1 (Agg: 7-1) at Guwahati to book their place in the final round of qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. This was after their narrow 1-0 win away from home in the first leg. Goals from Jeje Lalpekhlua (2), Sumeet Passi, Sandesh Jhingan, Md. Rafique and Fulganco Cardozo were enough to cement their place in the next round.
Khonesavanh Sihavong (16’) put the visitors into the lead before Jeje (43’) and Sumeet Passi (45+1’) scored to put India into the lead at half-time. Stephen Constantine’s half-time team talk did the trick as the Blue Tigers came all guns blazing as they breached the Laotian defence on four more occasions through Sandesh Jhingan (48’) Jeje (74’), Mohammed Rafique (83’) and Fulganco Cardozo (87’) with the scoreline reading 6-1 at final whistle.
Coach Valakone Phomphakdy’s decision to hand Sihavong a start paid dividends as he found the back of the net in the 16th minute. Sitthideth Khantavong got past Rino Anto with ease on the left and squared it for skipper Khampheng Sayavutthi who in turn flicked it for Sihavong. The 21-year-old applied the finishing touch as he beat Gurpreet in goal.
Constantine made his first chance by introducing Jackichand Singh for Udanta. The former Royal Wahingdoh winger had an instant impact as it was his cross from the right which was chested down by Jeje and the Mizoram-born striker made no mistake whatsoever to slot the ball to the right of Sengphachan.
In the first minute of injury time, Jackichand weaved his magic as he got past three defenders and put a ball across the face of goal which saw Passi, who was in an unmarked position, do the needful to score his first international goal for India.
India didn’t have to wait for too long to score another as Sandesh Jhingan’s header from a Lyngdoh free-kick found the far corner, much to the disappointment of the Laotian defence. In the 50th minute, Jackichand created another chance for India as he got past Monolom Phomsouvanh and his shot was blocked. The ball fell for Jeje whose eventual shot went wide.
Jeje scored his second of the evening as he exchanged a quick one-two with Passi before slotting home from inside the box as he capitalized on the goalkeeper coming off his line. Jackichand ran down the left flank and his outside of the foot pass for Jeje had too much pace on it as Laos’ goalkeeper came off to avert the danger.
Jeje could have scored his third goal of the evening but his effort came off the woodwork in the 82nd minute. The very next minute saw Mohammed Rafique add his name on the score-sheet as his deflected effort beat the Laotian custodian. In the 87th minute, Fulganco Cardozo headed home a cross from Jackichand to make it 6-1 as India completed a dream come back after trailing 1-0.
It has been 9 years since India thrashed any country with a margin of 6 goals, the last being against Cambodia in 2007 in which the result was 6-0.
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