[1]India stayed on course for a berth in next year’s AFC Under-22 Asian Cup final round, thrashing Turkmenistan 4-1 in their fourth league match of the qualifiers in Muscat on Saturday.
For India, Lalrindika Ralte and Jeje Lalpekhlua converted penalties in the 36th and 86th minutes while Alwyn George and Romeo Fernandes found the net in the 68th and 76th minutes at the Sultan Qaboos Stadium.
Italmazov Farhad pulled one back for Turkmenistan in the 59th minute.
India are now on seven points from four matches in Group A and next play hosts Oman on July 3.
On the day, Turkmenistan played to a defensive plan in the opening half and India had to wait till the 36th minute to break the deadlock.
Romeo Fernandes, India’s super-sub against United Arab Emirates, justified coach Arthur Papas’ fielding him in the starting XI. As he broke through inside the penalty box, rival defender Komekov Hemayat found it best to bring him down.
Midfielder Lalrindika Ralte stepped up cooly to take the resultant penalty and slotted the ball past Turkmenistan goalkeeper Garayev.
The changeover saw Turkmenistan starting off with more purpose with India sitting back. Skipper and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu had to stretch to palm away a deflection.
On the counter, a Romeo placement off a Vishak Kumar throw-in hit the upright in the 51st minute and then in the 55th minute, Manandeep Singh’s long-ranger sailed over the goal. Turkmenistan struck in the 59th minute as Farhad Italmazov’s prompt right-footer beat a diving Gurpreet.
But the Indians regrouped fast as Alwyn George, capitalising on a defensive lapse, chipped it over an onrushing Garayev.
Romeo got his name on the scoring sheet for the second consecutive match in the 76th minute. The second penalty came in the 85th minute when Jeje was pushed inside the box and he gleefully converted from the spot.
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/1footjpg-020