Kolkata, Oct 15 (UNI) Conceding a first half goal, India rallied brilliantly in the second session to snatch a vital point with a dying minutes goal from Adil Khan in 1-1 draw against Bangladesh in the World Cup qualifier play at the Salt Lake Stadium here Tuesday night.
India were stunned when the visitors surged ahead in the 43rd minute with Saad Uddin's header that beat goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh in the air.
This was case of ugly miscommunication in the defense line while Rahul Bheke gave away a freekick on the left and Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan stepped up to take it and sent in a curling ball towards the far post and Saad Uddin beat advancing Gurpeet Singh Sandhu with a diving header.
As the home crowds becoming tense with the ticking of time, Adil Khan made the Indians happy with his header in the 89th minute (1-1).
The equaliser came barely a minute after Indian captain Sunil Chhetri missed a fairly good chance.
But the compensation came from Adil Khan who sent the crowd into a tizzy with a fantastic header as Brandon whipped in a peach of a corner and Adil got past his man to bury his header into the net
and the Indians returned into the game.
Under the bar Bangladesh goalkeeper Asraful Rana was in terrific form and before the goal he conceded he was looked as Chinese Wall.
This was India's second point in three matches as they drew with Asian champion Qatar 0-0 and lost to Oman in the first match 2-0.
The Blue Tigers went chasing the three points from the very start, as Sunil Chhetri had an early shot on goal saved by Bangladesh goalkeeper Ashraful Islam Rana.
Ten minutes into the game, India had their golden chance as Mandar Rao Dessai floated a ball towards the far post, where an airborne Rahul Bheke knocked it back, but there was nobody present to capitalise on the chance, as the Bangladesh defence cleared their lines.
Bheke had yet another chance a few minutes later, when he won a free header from a corner.
However, his header flew over the bar. With around 10 minutes of regulation time to go in the first half, Manvir Singh hit the target, as he cheekily back-headed, but a fully-stretched Ashraful managed to tip it over the bar.
India 1 (Adil Khan 89’)
Bangladesh 1 (Saad Uddin 43’)
UNI PC JTS 2242