India vs Myanmar: Anirudh Thapa’s solitary goal seals Blue Tigers’ win in Tri-Nation friendlies

Given
India’s
dominance
over
their
rivals
for
most
of
the
outing,
the
scoreline
would
have
been
bigger,
but
missed
chances
combined
with
the
luck
factor
kept
the
victory
margin
at
the
bare
minimum.
Anirudh
Thapa,
the
lone
goalscorer
of
the
game,
was
adjudged
the
Hero
of
the
Match.

A
partisan
crowd
filled
up
the
stands
long
before
the
match
could
start
as
the
Blue
Tigers
put
on
a
show
that
genuinely
delighted
the
spectators
of
Imphal,
the
city
organising
its
first-ever
Senior
Men’s
international
tie.

India’s
wingers
Bipin
Singh
and
Lallianzuala
Chhangte
looked
lively
from
the
start,
as
they
looked
to
make
inroads
into
the
opposition’s
third.

Sunil
Chhetri
had
an
early
look
in,
as
he
headed
a
cross
by
Anirudh
Thapa
over
the
crossbar.
The
India
captain
had
another
chance
from
a
flag
kick
at
the
far
post,
but
the
effort
produced
the
same
result.

Myanmar
may
have
been
somewhat
shell-shocked
by
the
sheer
number
of
supporters
for
India,
but
they
did
look
to
use
the
wings
on
the
counter.
However,
local
boy
Jeakson
Singh,
playing
a
holding
role,
stood
up
to
his
task,
nipping
the
attacks
in
the
bud.

Chhetri
had
a
golden
chance
a
little
over
the
half-hour
mark,
when
Chhangte
played
him
in,
but
his
shot
from
point-blank
range
was
straight
at
the
keeper.
Minutes
later,
India
keeper
Amrinder
Singh
kept
the
scores
level
at
the
other
end,
when
he
put
his
big
gloves
in
the
way
of
an
Aung
Thu
effort.

The
Blue
Tigers
finally
found
the
breakthrough
they
were
looking
for
during
the
injury
time
of
the
first
half
as
Thapa
latched
on
to
a
stray
rebound
inside
the
box
and
smashed
it
past
the
keeper
from
close
range,
as
India
headed
into
the
dressing
room
the
happier
of
the
two
sides.

India
head
coach
Igor
Stimac
decided
to
give
more
reason
for
the
Imphal
crowd
to
cheer,
as
he
brought
on
Suresh
Wangjam
instead
of
Mohammad
Yasir
in
the
second
half.
Soon
after,
local
boy
Mahesh
Singh
got
his
debut
as
he
and
Manvir
Singh
replaced
Bipin
Singh
and
Chhangte.

India
thought
they
had
added
another
goal
to
their
tally
with
a
little
over
a
quarter
of
an
hour
of
regulation
time
left
when
Chhetri
poked
in
a
Thapa
cross,
but
he
was
flagged
offside.
The
India
captain
had
a
crack
at
the
rival
goal
just
minutes
later,
but
it
was
saved
by
the
opposition
keeper
this
time.

As
the
clock
wore
down,
Ritwik
Das
was
given
his
debut,
as
Das
and
Roshan
Singh
replaced
Akash
Mishra
and
Anirudh
Thapa.
Seconds
before
the
final
whistle,
the
Myanmar
goal
had
a
close
shave
when
Suresh’s
shot
was
saved
by
the
custodian.