Hangzhou, September 21: On Thursday at the Xiaoshan Sports Centre, India defeated Bangladesh by a slim margin thanks to a late penalty kick from captain Sunil Chhetri. This triumph came after India’s humbling defeat to China in the tournament’s first match.
India now has three points from its first two games, placing them third in Group A after the win. Four of the top six teams in the third-place standings and the top two teams will all advance to the round of 16.
Bryce Miranda made several standout plays from the flanks as India came out of the gate aggressively. He sent Sunil Chhetri a potentially hazardous cross, but the Indian captain’s attempt was off-target. Later, Bangladesh gained momentum, but India’s defence remained strong under the leadership of Jhingan and Dheeraj. India stepped up their offensive after the 30th minute, but Bangladesh’s defence resisted.
India exerted strong pressure in the final seconds of the first half, attempting three shots, including ones from Chhetri and Rahul KP. Sadly, all were saved, keeping the score at 0-0 going into halftime. Rahul missed a fantastic chance to start the second half. Dheeraj stepped up in the 57th minute after a defensive blunder almost gave Bangladesh a scoring opportunity.
India came close to scoring in the 64th minute when Kynshi’s long-range free-kick struck the post. However, Bangladesh almost scored in the 77th minute, but Dheeraj produced a spectacular stop. After a challenge on Bryce in the box in the 83rd minute, India was given a penalty, which changed the course of the match. Chhetri correctly executed the penalty, giving India the advantage. For the remainder of the match, the Indian defence held tough, preserving a 1-0 win and three crucial campaign points.
