India 2 vs Bangladesh 0 Highlights FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Chhetri brace gives Stimac second win as India manager

Read Sportstar's football updates from the India vs Bangladesh 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match from Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.

Updated : Jun 07, 2021 22:22 IST

Stimac's men will have to beat Bangladesh to have any chance of an automatic berth in the third qualifying round of the Asian Cup.
Stimac's men will have to beat Bangladesh to have any chance of an automatic berth in the third qualifying round of the Asian Cup.
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Stimac's men will have to beat Bangladesh to have any chance of an automatic berth in the third qualifying round of the Asian Cup.

Welcome to Sportstar's highlights of the India vs Bangladesh FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifier match from the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.

That's all for today. Thank you for tuning in. Goodnight!!

MATCH REPORT: WC qualifiers: Chhetri brace lifts India to third, gives 2-0 win against Bangladesh

Igor Stimac is finally a happy manager as his team beat Bangladesh 2-0 to strengthen its chances for qualifying to the AFC Asian Cup in 2023.

Sunil Chhetri's brace has given a comprehensive win to India, which now waits for its next match against Afghanistan.

Bangladesh did not offer anything substantial going forward, especially in the second half. Despite maintaining a solid defensive performance overall, it could not prevent the lethal Chhetri in getting his brace.

FULL-TIME (INDIA 2 BANGLADESH 0)

90+2' GOOOOAALLLLL!!!! ITS CHHETRI AGAIN TO DOUBLE INDIA'S LEAD- A great cutback by Suresh who set up the Indian skipper. Chhetri, composed as ever, guided the ball to the top-left corner of Anisur's goal. 

90+1' CHANGES- Adil Khan and Pronay Haldar on for Brandon Fernandes and Chinglesana Singh.

FOUR ADDED MINUTES!!

90' SHOT- A great pass by Chhetri to Ashique who gets a shot away but Anisur saves. Could have had a better touch there.

88' India not sitting back despite being ahead as Bangladesh's defence tries to cope with the attacking threat.

85' India has had 12 shots compared to Bangladesh's one. Not exactly clinical by the Blue Tigers but they won't mind.

83' The urgency is evident from Bangladesh now as it pushes higher up the field. Lots of space behind Bangladesh's backline.

80' GOOOOAAALLLLL!!!! INDIA FINALLY SCORE AND ITS CAPTAIN SUNIL CHHETRI- A beautiful curling cross by Ashique from the left flank, which finds Chhetri's head. A brilliant finish from a difficult angle.

77' India has made more than 40 passes in the opposition's half but does not have anything to show for it.

75' BOOKING- Ashique is booked for his challenge on Tariq.

74' CHANGE- Mehedi Hasan comes on for Rakib Hossain.

73' Another beautiful delivery from Brandon from a corner, which finds Subhasis' head. His glancing header, however, is agonisingly wide. Time running out for the Blue Tigers.

71' Brandon attempts a long-distance shot but it is nowhere close to Bangladesh's goal.

68' India pouring the numbers in but the finishing touch is lacking in Stimac's men.

66' CHANGE- Mohammad Abdullah comes on for Biplo Ahamed.

64' CHANCE- A peach of a delivery by Brandon and Sunil Chhetri finds himself free for a header at Anisur. But India's highest scorer heads it wide and another chance goes begging.

63' BOOKING- Bangladesh's Biplo is booked for his challenge on Suresh.

60' CHANGE- Liston Colaco on for Manvir Singh.

58' A brilliant ball by Brandon again to Chhetri, who sets it up for Yasir at the edge of Bangladesh's box but the Yasir's shot is blocked.

56' A whipped cross by Ashique inside Bangladesh's box. Manvir was already stationed in a good position to meet it but Topu clears the ball before it reaches the Indian forward.

54' FOUL- Biplo brings down Suresh as India gets a freekick.

50' Chinglesana tries to set Udanata off on the right flank but Rakib intercepts the ball to send it out for a corner.

47' India with a bright start to the second half as it looks to find that final ball in Bangladesh's half.

45' Two half-time changes- Mohammad Yasir and Ashique Kuruniyan comes on for Udanta Singh and Bipin Singh

SECOND HALF IS UNDERWAY!!

India has clearly had the lion's share of the chances in the first 45 minutes with Brandon Fernandes being its best player of the pitch. The Blue Tigers will not be blamed for lack of trying but needs to improve their football in the final-third.

There was a penalty shout as the Indian contingent was sure that skipper Sunil Chhetri was fouled inside Bangladesh's box by Tariq but the penalty-shout surprisingly led to a handball decision against Chhetri.

Bangladesh hasn't offered much from the attacking aspect but has maintained a solid defensive shape to keep out India at the end of the first 45 minutes.

Stay tuned for live updates from the second half !!!

HALF-TIME!! (India 0 Bangladesh 0)

45+1' The final ball missing for India as it has clearly dominated its opponents in terms of chances created.

JUST ONE ADDED MINUTE!!

43' Brandon pulling the strings again to thread one to Manvir. The forward tries a fancy first-touch and loses the ball.

41' Good attack from India with Brandon in the heart of it again but Bipin tries to do too much with the ball, which goes out of play.

39' Ibrahim going to toe-to-toe with Sandesh as he tries to cut inside and lash one at Gurpreet but Sandesh using his experience to make a crucial block.

37' India asking all the questions now but James Day's men maintaining their defensive shape. Tariq the standout performer in Bangladesh's backline.

34' CHANGE- Mohammad Ibrahim comes on for Masuk Miah Zoni

34' SO CLOSE!!! Chinglensana with a stinging header from a Brandon corner but its blocked on the line by the Bangladesh defender Riyadul Hasan. Best chance of the match.

31' Bangladesh pushing back to its own half, which has left loads of open green in the middle of the park for India to relish. Its all about finding that final ball now.

29' PENALTY SHOUT!! Sunil Chhetri is brought down inside the box by Tariq, which looked like a sure penalty. But the referee says its a Chhetri handball to the Indian skipper's dismay.

27' Chhetri attempts a deft one-two with Brandon. Full marks for the idea but the execution isn't right.

25' FOUL- Udanta Singh is brought down by Biplo and its a free-kick.

23' A good attack from Bangladesh after a long time as Gurpreet deals with a low cross from the right flank.

20' Brandon is undoubtedly India's most vibrant presence on the pitch right now. Always on the move and waiting to make that defence-splitting pass.

18' India slowly coming into the game and controlling the tempo with quick runs into the final third but sloppy passing its main enemy in the match till now.

15' CHANCE- Brandon threads a brilliant ball to Manvir who timed his run well. Going round the keeper he tried to set up Chhetri in the centre of Bangladesh's box but its well defended.

13' A lot of space in midfield for India. The flanks are where the action is concentrated to.

11' A great cross into the box by Bipin, which Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri was eagerly waiting for but Bangladesh does enough to clear the ball to safety.

9' Bangladesh's midfield winning the battle in the middle of the park after the first 10 minutes. The Blue Tigers trying to carve a chance from the flanks.

7' A great lob through by Brandon, which finds Bipin on the left flank. Singh tries to cross one into the box but it goes out for a corner. A training-ground corner where India tried to catch Bangladesh off with a low delivery into the box but Bangladesh clears.

5' The attacking intent is clear from Stimac's men but India sloppy with its passing. The Blue Tigers need some composure in its play.

3' Brief injury scare as Brandon was on the ground for a long time after Rakib's challenge but he is up on his feet now.

2' BOOKING- Bangladesh's Rakib inside the referee's book with 75 seconds on the board.

1' KICK-OFF!!

7:30p.m- AND WE ARE UNDERWAY!!!

7:15p.m- A stat with 15 minutes to kick-off. Will the jinx be broken today?

A win on Monday will also be India's first in six years in the World Cup qualifiers. The last win for India had come in November 2015 in a 1-0 result against Guam in a 2018 World Cup qualifying round match in Bangalore.

7:00p.m- Who is missing out?

India- Dynamic midfielder Anirudh Thapa has been cleared to rejoin the Indian camp after recovering from COVID-19 but he will miss Monday's match. Rowllin Borges is out too with a long-term injury.

Bangladesh- Forward Mohammad Ibrahim, who tested for positive for COVID-19, will miss today's match. Ashraful Rana, defenders Rayhan Hasan and Biswanath Ghosh, winger and last-time goalscorer against India, Saad Uddin and forward Mohammad Jibon will also not be available for the match on Monday.

6:30p.m- A sneak peek inside the preparation by the Blue Tigers ahead of today's match against Bangladesh

 

6:15p.m- An hour and a half to kick-off

 

6:00p.m- LINEUPS ARE OUT!!

India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Subhasish Bose, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Sandesh Jhingan, Glan Martins, Manvir Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Sunil Chhetri (C), Bipin Singh, Udanta Singh, Suresh Singh.

Coach: Igor Stimac

Bangladesh: Anisur Rahman (GK), MD Rahmat Mia, Topu Barman, Jamal Bhuyan (C), Masuk Miah Zoni, Biplo Ahamed, MD Matin Miah, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Riyadul Hasan, MD Manik Hossain Molla, Rakib Hossain.

Coach: James Day

Preview

A winless India desperately needs a positive result against neighbour Bangladesh in its joint World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers match here on Monday if it wants to avoid the ignominy of playing in the qualifying play-off round of the continental showpiece.

India is already out of contention for a World Cup berth but still in the reckoning for a place in the 2023 Asian Cup.

But with just three points from six matches, India is at the fourth spot in Group E and is not yet guaranteed an automatic berth in the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers.

Only the best four fourth-place finishers in each of the eight groups directly qualify for the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers.

READ| Indian coach Stimac hints at different style of play against Bangladesh

The other four fourth-place finishers and all the bottom place finishers of the eight groups will play in a play-off round from which eight will re-enter the qualifying process again.

Among the fourth-place finishers, six teams have more points than India currently. That would mean that Igor Stimac's men will have to beat Bangladesh to have any chance of an automatic berth in the third qualifying round of the Asian Cup.

A win on Monday will also be India's first in six years in the World Cup qualifiers. The last win for India had come in November 2015 in a 1-0 result against Guam in a 2018 World Cup qualifying round match in Bangalore.

Stimac's men would not have been too disappointed with the 0-1 defeat to Asian champion Qatar on Thursday as it played with 10 men from the 18th minute onwards.

The show against Qatar must have regained some of the lost confidence after its 0-6 drubbing against UAE in an international friendly in March.

READ| Anirudh Thapa receives clearance to re-join team in Doha

Historically also, 105th-ranked India has the edge over Bangladesh (184th). India had beaten Bangladesh twice in the World Cup qualifying round, though the wins were registered way back in 1985 (2-1 result in both double-legged matches).

"We still haven't opened our account in Doha. We need to focus (against Bangladesh) and then the next one (against Afghanistan)," said senior defender Sandesh Jhingan, who took the captain's armband in the second half of the Qatar match from Sunil Chhetri, who played only the first 45 minutes.

But India cannot be complacent as Bangladesh can be tough opponents as it had shown in the first leg of these qualifiers in 2019 in Kolkata where they had taken an early lead. An 88th-minute header from defender Adil Khan helped India to draw that match in front of a huge crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium.

At the bottom of the group with two points, Bangladesh is coming into Monday's match after a 1-1 draw against Afghanistan and it would also be desperately looking for a win.

Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan, who had played for Mohammedan Sporting in the I-League, said the tie would be an intense affair.

"Last time in Kolkata, we were disappointed not to get three points as India scored very late in the game. We have that hunger in us, and we know we can do some damage," he said.

Monday's match against Bangladesh would also be crucial for Stimac as he would also want to open his account in this World Cup qualifiers.

The former Croatian World Cupper has this match against Bangladesh and the one against Afghanistan on June 15 to make a mark in an otherwise disappointing campaign so far.

-Via PTI

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