Bengaluru, Oct 11 (UNI) In a brilliant display amid heavy downpour India defeated Macau 4-1 in the return leg of teh AFC Cup qualification match at Sree Kanteerava Stadium here to qualify for the final round of AFC Asian Cup to be played in UAE during 2019. With two more matches left in the group against Myanmar and Kazakh Republic India is in a strong stage. India had topped the table with three wins against the group rivals with three successive wins and now have 12 points from four matches. Sunil Chhetri led India in fine fashion scoring the second goal after the two teams were locked 1-1 at the half time. The first goal came in the 28th minute. Off a build-up down the left, Rowllin Borges after receiving it from Jeje Lalpekhlua preferred to turn and his right-footer hit rival captain Cheang Cheng and went in. Chhetri scored the second goal in the 60th minute. The triangle of Jeje Lalpekhlua, Balwant Singh and Chhetri doing the trick with a fierce deflection from the Balwant cross. Jeje essayed it to Balwant in vacant space who sped past his marker and laid it for Chhetri at the other end to tap it in. The path to the qualification to Asian Cup UAE 2019 became all the more broader when in the 70th minute a Halicharan shot deflected off a defender and rolled over the head of Man Fai. Jeje Lalpekhlua added more gloss to the scoreline in added extra time (90+2') to score India's fourth goal and complete mission Macau. On a night where it rained almost all throughout, India pressed the pedal from right from the kick-off. A corner was earned in the first minute itself and thereafter there were a barrage of attacks. In the 20th minute, Lao Pak Kin was yellow carded for pulling Chhetri off the ball, but Chhetri’s free-kick sailed over. The very next minute, Pritam Kotal’s centre bounced of rival Goalkeeper Ho Man Fai’s hands but he managed to hold on in the second attempt. Borges put India in the lead in the 28th minute but it didn’t last long – Nicholas Mario sneaking in between the defenders to head it in nine minutes later. The drizzle had stopped by then and both teams headed to the interval at 1-1. Changing over, Balwant Singh came in for Jackichand Singh. Even as India very much like the first half seized the initiative, it was not before the 55th minute that the Blue Tigers had a shy at the goal. But an acrobatic Ho Man Fai kept off Sandesh Jhingan’s header off an Eugeneson Lyngdoh corner. Chhetri scored his 55th International goal in the 60th minute and two minutes later, Balwant the feeder could have sealed it but his placement just went wide after an onrushing Man Fai had managed to narrow down the angle. Constantine made his second change in the 65th minute – Md Rafique coming in for Borges. The third goal for India came in the 70th minute and with some 20 minutes remaining the fate seemed to have been more or less sealed. The third substitution was made in the 77th minute -- Salam Ranjan Singh replacing Anas Edathodika and making his debut for the Indian National Team in the process. In the 86th minute, Jeje almost gave the Macau defence a scare when he shot at half turn after Sunil Chhetri found him near the box. With the result of the matach sealed in India’s favour Jeje, the Mizo striker found the net in the dying minutes, tapping in a Sunil Chhetri pass to make the scoreline read 4-1.

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