Kolkata: The Indian national team recorded a well-deserved 3-2 victory over higher-ranked Malaysia in an international friendly at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on Wednesday evening.
Sunil Chhetri was the star for Team India as he scored twice and played a part in the other goal which was netted by Jeje Lalpekhlua. For Malaysia, Safee Sali bagged a brace as the ASEAN nation went down to a team ranked nine spots below them in the FIFA rankings.
With this result, India won the two-match FIFA international friendly series 1-0, after the first match between the two teams had ended 1-1 in Guwahati last Sunday.
As indicated before the match, India coach Savio Medeira made eight changes to the eleven that started in Guwahati, with Jeje Lalpekhlua starting alongside Sunil Chhetri up front while Baldeep Singh Jr and Rocus Lamare formed the central midfield partnership.
Francis Fernandes was given his international debut while Subhasish Roy Chowdhury started in goal, with Syed Rahim Nabi being given the captain's armband and operating at rightback as Debabrata Roy started at leftback and Anwar Ali partnered Gouramangi Moirangthem in central defence.
Malaysia coach K Rajagopal made four changes to his starting eleven, with star striker Safee Sali starting up front but influential central defender Norhafiz Zamani named on the bench.
India started the game brightly but sadly there was a very poor turn-out inside the Salt Lake Stadium, even though this was India's first international match in Kolkata after five years.
Despite India's good start, it was Malaysia who had the first real chance of the game as Safee Sali had a lot of time and space to shoot at India's goal after being well set up by Abdul Yahaya; but Sali blasted his effort off-target.
Savio Medeira's side then kept the ball well in midfield with Rocus Lamare pulling the strings, but their only real chance in the first quarter was a header from Chhetri which went straight into the hands of Malaysia keeper Jeevanatham.
Both sides were struggling to create openings but India were seeing more of the ball, and in the 38th minute a free-kick from Lalrindika tested Jeevanatham, who parried it away and was lucky that no Indian player was first to the rebound.
A minute later though, India opened the scoring through Sunil, who got on the end of a long throughball from Syed Rahim Nabi and the Delhi lad slotted the ball past Jeevanatham with a scuffed effort.
Malayasia equalized six minutes later as Safee Sali rounded off a fine team move to make it 1-1. The move was started by Safiq Rahim, whose cross from midfield picked out Abu Samah, who played it to Safee, and the Indonesian-based striker first dribbled past Anwar before finding the back of the net.
India made a fantastic start to the second half as they took the lead inside the first two minutes through Jeje Lalpekhlua. Sunil Chhetri played a good pass behind the Malaysian back-four for Francies Fernandes, whose low cross was easily tapped in by Jeje.
Four minutes later, Jeje could have scored his second and given India a two-goal advantage as he was set up by Chhetri, but the Pune FC striker could only earn a corner off Jeevanatham despite being in a one-on-one position.
But India did have their two-goal cushion a minute later as Chhetri produced a neat finish to score his second of the game. Once again debutant Francis Fernandes was involved as his low cross was blocked by Jeevanatham, but it fell to the feet of Sunil who found the back of the net despite the presence of Malaysian defenders on the goal line.
It wasn't 3-1 for long as at the hour mark Safee Sali got behind the Indian backline and easily scored past Subhasish to bring Malaysia right back into the game. It was poor defending on India's part as there was too much space between the two central defenders and Safee made the most of it.
Straight after that goal, Anwar came off with an injury and was replaced by Mahesh Gawli while Samir Naik replaced Debabrata Roy, and Malaysia also changed their keeper with Ramli Mohd Sharbinee coming on for Jeevanatham.
India played a much controlled game after that as they looked to protect their slender advantage but Chhetri went close in the 68th minute when he produced a fine save off Sharbinee.
Both coaches continued to make changes in the last twenty minutes, with Savio Medeira bringing on Anthony Pereira and Jewel Raja in place of Francis Fernandes and Baldeep Singh Jr respectively.
Malaysia's best chance of making it 3-3 came in the 81st minute when substitute Zambri Mohd Muttymeen got free behind the Indian defence but his shot was very well saved by Subhasish for a corner.
Neither Sunil Chhetri nor Safee Sali could complete their hat-tricks as both were taken off by their respective coaches in the dying minutes.
In the end, India held on for a deserved 3-2 win to give Savio Medeira his first victory as India coach and the result also boosts India's chances of improving their FIFA ranking later this month.
"The boys played their hearts out," said Savio Medeira. "It's good to end with a victory. We did make quite a few changes in the playing XI and it paid off. The SAFF Championship is knocking at the door and we needed to give a chance to everyone to gauge their match temperament."
"We didn't get much time to prepare for the match but the boys rose to the occasion."
Chhetri, who was the cynosure of all eyes, said: "We played well. It's a special feeling when you score for your country."
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