Mumbai: A much-changed Indian side lost 1-2 to New Zealand in their last group stage match of the Intercontinental Cup at the Mumbai Football Arena on Thursday. Andre De Jong and Moses Dyer scored for the visitors, while Sunil Chhetri bagged his 62nd goal in his 101st appearance.
Stephen Constantine made seven changes to his starting line-up against Kenya, as Amrinder Singh, Salam Ranjan Singh, Narayan Das, Mohammed Rafique, Rowllin Borges, Ashique Kuruniyan and Balwant Singh all started in place of Gurpreet Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan, Anas Edathodika, Pronay Halder, Halicharan Narzary, Udanta Singh and Jeje Lalpekhlua.
The hosts started on the backfoot as New Zealand initiated attacks through their 19-year-old prodigy Sarpreet Singh. India played a 4-3-1-2 as Anirudh Thapa played behind Chhetri and Balwant.
As the All Whites cranked up the pressure, Rafique was taken off in the 28th minute for Udanta Singh, with Constantine later confirming it was not due to an injury but because the winger was struggling to get into the game. The visitors were clearly the more dangerous side as their corners troubled the Indian defence to no end.
India’s best chance came towards the end of the first half as Kuruniyan played it to Balwant’s head, only for the ATK forward to head it back towards Chhetri who skied it over the bar with a first-time effort. New Zealand still finished the first half in the ascendancy, comfortably the better team.
The second half had a frantic start as Chhetri bagged a fortuitous goal against the run of play. Goalkeeper Michael Woud hit it straight against the skipper, as the ball rebounded into the net to give India the opener.
New Zealand hit back immediately, as Sarpreet played a delightful through ball to De Jong and the midfielder took his chance with aplomb. Constantine soon started reverting to his preferred starters as Jeje, Narzary and Halder all came in.
Another defensive error by India gave the away team the win as substitute Dyer bagged the winner. It was once again Sarpreet who assisted with a brilliant dinked through ball. The teenager was rightly adjudged the player of the match.
Despite the loss, India finished with a +7 goal difference and are all but through to the final, while NZ now have a +1 goal difference and six points and must wait for the result between Chinese Taipei and Kenya.
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