Sunil Chhetri secured India a 2-2 draw against Bangladesh with a late injury time goal in their international friendly match on Wednesday.

India started off well with early chances in front of a poor crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stradium in Goa. Wim Koevermans’ team looked confident in their first match of the new year 2014.

Captain Sunil Chhetri opened the score sheet for India in the 14th minute, when Robin Singh released him on the left side with a fine pass. Chhetri made use of his speed and slotted home past Bangladesh keeper Shahidul Alam Sohel to record his 44th international goal for the Indian national team.

Bangladesh had their first attempt on Subrata Pal’s goal in the 22nd minute, when Zahid Hasan Emily put a freekick over the crossbar.

India remained in control of the match, although missing the final touch to produce promising challenges on the Bangladesh goal.

Robin Singh had the best chance to increase the lead minutes before the half-time whistle, when he dispossessed a Bangladesh player to face the keeper in an one-on-one. But Robin Singh’s shot was easily saved by Shahidul Alam Sohel for a corner.

Bangladesh midfielder Sohel Rana tested India keeper Subrata Pal with a powerful long-range shot in the 44th minute. But the FC Vestsjælland goalkeeper pulled off a fine save to secure India an 1-0 lead at half-time.

Bangladesh came out of the breather with more confidence and their new game plan paid off, when an unmarked Mithun Chowdhury levelled the score line in the 51st minute. Chowdhury took advantage of poor defending by the Indian defenders and he put the ball to the back of the net from close range to convert a cross from the left wing.

The Indian team had its difficulties to find back into the game after the Bangladesh goal. Wim Koevermans brought on debutant Balwant Singh for Bengaluru FC striker Robin Singh with the hope to strengthen the Indian attack.

But Bangladesh kept on playing their calm style of football and they were rewarded with a second goal in the 65th minute. Vincent Hemanta Biswas delivered a cross to the Indian box just to find Indian defender Arnab Kumar Mondal, who put the ball past Subrata Pal into the own goal.

With the clock running out of time, India were desperately looking for the equalisier. But substitutes Alywn George and Victorino Fernandes, besides skipper Sunil Chhetri failed to convert the rare second half chance for the hosts.

Bangladesh kept their box safe despite several goalkeeping blunders by Shahidul Alam Sohel and it looked like they would win the match. But Sunil Chhetri once again safed India with an injury time goal.

India keeper Subrata Pal was sent off with a second yellow card, after bringing down an on-rushing Bangladesh player. Karanjit Singh came on for the final seconds.

India luckily escaped with a 2-2 draw against Bangladesh.

Please scroll down to read the AIFF match report…

Friendly Match | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa (India)
INDIA 2-2 BANGLADESH

GOALS
1-0 Sunil Chhetri (14′)
1-1 Mithun Chowdhury (51′)
1-2 Arnab Kumar Mondal (65′, og)
2-2 Sunil Chhetri (90’+2′)

LINE-UPS

India
1 Subrata Pal; 2 Denzil Franco, 5 Arnab Kumar Mondal, 4 Aiborlang Khongjee, 18 Narayan Das; 10 Francis Fernandes (78′ 8 Alywn George), 7 Mehtab Hossain (46′ 21 Rocus Lamare), 6 Lenny Rodrigues, 15 Clifford Miranda (46′ 14 Victorino Fernandes, 90’+8′ 16 Karanjit Singh); 11 Sunil Chhetri [C], 9 Robin Singh (63′ 17 Balwant Singh)

Unused Subs
12 Gurjinder Kumar, 13 Sandesh Jhingan, 20 Lalrindika Ralte, ? Amrinder Singh

Bangladesh
25 Shahidul Alam Sohel; 2 Raihan Hasan, 3 Nasiruddin Chowdhury, 4 Yeasin Khan, 5 Atiqur Rahman Meshu; 6 Jamal Bhuyan, 8 Mohd. Mamunul Islam [C], 10 Vincent Hemanta Biswas, 11 Sohel Rana (85′ 12 Ashraf Mohamed Linkon); 7 Mithun Chowdhury (86′ 16 Toklis Ahmed), 9 Zahid Hasan Emily

Unused Subs
21 Mazharul Islam; 14 Yeamin Ahmed Munna, 15 Rubel Mia, 17 Aminur Rahman Sajib, 20 Towhidul Alam, ? Biplob Bhattacharjee, ? Topu Barman, ? Didarul Haque

BOOKINGS

Yellow Cards
22′ Aiborlang Khongjee (India)
45’+3′ Subrata Pal (India)
52′ Sohel Rana (Bangladesh)
88′ Mohd. Mamunul Islam (Bangladesh)

Yellow-Red Cards
90’+6′ Subrata Pal (India)

Red Cards
none

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee
Tejas Nagvenkar (India)

Assistant Referees
…, …

Fourth Official
Rahul Eric D’sa (India)

Match Commissioner
…

AIFF Match Report

Scoring is all about habit or should we say about taking responsibility? We leave you to find the answer.

Fans always back their hero to score whenever they play. Indian National team Captain Sunil Chhetri, invariably doesn’t disappoint his vast legion of fans.

Going into the match leading his ‘mentor’ Bhaichung Bhutia by a goal as India’s highest-ever goalscorer in International Football on 43 goals, Chhetri increased his tally to 44 International Goals in the 14th minute itself.

Any other would have been enveloped in the mode, having already scored one. But the greatness of the man makes him stand tall among all Indian Strikers across all decades – all because of his strike rate. With his Team staring at defeat at 1-2 in the 89th minute, Chhetri rose to the occasion again – this time with a stunner which rejuvenated the crowd again.

Courtesy the double strike, India’s International Friendly against Bangladesh ended two-all. Down by a goal at the interval, Mithun Chowdhury and Hemanta Biswas  scored one each for the visitors in the second half.

One will be debating for long as to which of Chhetri’s strike was better.

The first goal set the tone as India in the first half. The Robin Singh-Chhetri combination, transpiring right from the drawing board paved the way for it. Sunil essayed it to Robin who shielded his marker and played the wall-pass to set up Chhetri all in the clear. A composed Chhetri gratefully gathered it, entered the rival box and even as rival Goalkeeper Sahidul Alam tried to narrow the angle, Chhetri curled it past him into the far corner.

Some five minutes earlier, a diving Sahidul, nevertheless, had denied Chhetri from putting India in the lead. Chhetri, that time, had tried to curl it on Sahidul’s right side after Francis Fernandes had found him in the clear.

Off the resultant corner, Sahidul fumbled to collect Mehtab Hossain’s delivery but the Bangladesh defence managed to clear the danger prior to anyone pulling the trigger.

Chhetri’s second goal was a volley off a Denzil Franco cross from the right. It wan’t from the drawing board; rather it had class written all over it. And it set the tone for the match.

The combination of Robin Singh and Sunil Chhetri kept the Bangladesh defence guessing all throughout. In the 42nd minute, Robin, faster than any off the blocks, anticipated it right and went past two rival defenders but with only Sahidul to beat, his placement hit the latter. That was easily the easiest chance of the first half.

The last three minutes of the first half witnessed two raspers form both sides. First, Clifford Miranda’s boomer just sailed past and the very next minute, Sohail Rana’s long-ranger was fisted away by Indian Goalkeeper Subrata Paul.

India’s pressing Football was on display right from the kick-off. Bangladesh did seize the initiative early trying to push India on the backfoot. But the pressing football which is slowly turning into India’s trademark under National Koevermans made the rival opposition push back instead. There was always support for the other and the interchanging kept Bangladesh guessing.

By the half-hour mark, Francis and Clifford Miranda had interchanged flanks.

Chhetri always stayed the spare man in the midfield. So much so, that Jamal Bhunyian couldn’t flourish into his playmaking role as he had to keep a tab on the Indian Captain’s movements.

India made a double substitution as both Teams changed over – Victorino Fernandes and Rocus Lamare replacing Clifford Miranda and Mehtab Hossain respectively.

Bangladesh pulled it back in the 52nd minute – Mithun Chowdhury tapping it in after a Sohel Rana centre deflected off Arnab Mondal for Mithun to find the net.

In the 62nd minute, Balwant Singh replaced Robin to make his International debut – the 477th Footballer to play for India.

Two minutes later, Bangladesh took the lead, Arnab Mondal, in a desperate attempt to keep away a Hemanta Biswas cross down the right flank, deflected into his own net. It happened in the 65th minute.

Bangladesh looked much more purposeful in the second-half. India’s thrust was nowhere to be found. Mehtab’s snatching abilities was being missed and the confidence, all of a sudden, seemed to collapse. Bangladesh played the one-twos and played it in the gaps. There were deft touches, feints and clean precision passing. India chased.

However, Bangladesh had a close shave in the 82nd minute. Sahidul was out just in time to deny substitute Alwyn and off the rebound, Yeasin Khan just managed to keep off Chhetri’s placement. And if that wasn’t enough, Victorino’s header was tipped over by Sahidul.

Even as India pushed the pedal, Bangladesh were not to be subdued. But Chhetri’s brilliance frustrated them once again.

Meanwhile, Subrata Paul was given marching orders for his second booking in the match in injury time but Bangladesh weren’t able to capitalise on the free-kick from just outside the box.