Captain Baichung Bhutia scored with a spectacular bicycle kick to inspire India to a 4-0 victory over Nepal in the SAFF Championship opener at Maldives National Stadium in Male on Tuesday.
After N P Pradeep put the defending champions ahead in the 26th minute, Bhutia chested down a Climax Lawrence header with his back towards the Nepal goal and fired a back-volley to double his side's lead in the 34th minute.
Sunil Chetri took the game away from Nepal's reach with a no less brilliant diving header in the 68th minute before substitute Sushil Kumar Singh rounded off the tally in the 83rd minute.
India, however, had to play the last 15 minutes of the game with ten men after defender N S Manju, whose selection for the tourney was doubtful due to an injury, had to leave the field after suffering a hamstring pull and they had made all the three substitutions by then.
India took time to settle down in the rain-soaked match but once they found their groove, Nepal, coached by German Thomas Flath, were simply outclassed.
It was Nepal who set the pace of the game initially with some threatening moves inside the Indian box though they could not cause any serious problem to Indian back four of Mahesh Gawli, Gouramangi Singh, Deepak Mondal and N S Manju.
Nepal striker Jumanu Rai missed a golden opportunity in the 24th minute and his left-footer from inside the box, after beating two Indian defenders, went wide off the target.
But the Indian forwards could not be not kept at bay for long and they took the lead just after the 25th minute with N P Pradeep jumping over his Nepalese marker to connect a Steven Dias free-kick that resulted after Nepal defender Parbat Pandey made a dangerous tackle on Dias.
Bhutia then got the cushion for India and the Sikkimese sniper showed his class with a back-volley past Nepal 'kepeer Ritesh Thapa after a fine chest control of a midfielder Climax Lawrence head pass.
After resumption, Nepal tried to come back into the match even as rain became heavier and the ground got slippery.
Sunil Chetri sealed the issue for India with a brilliant diving header, connecting a Steven Dias cross from the right in 68th minute, with rival 'keeper standing a mute spectator.
In the 77th minute, Jumanu Rai got a chance to reduce the margin for Nepal but his shot missed the upright by inches.
Sushil Kumar, who replaced Bhutia in the 64th minute, rounded off the tally though it came off a goalkeeping blunder by Ritesh Thapa, who fumbled while collecting a feeble shot by the young Indian striker seven minutes from time.
Team manager Pradeep Chowdhury was elated with the perfect start his side got in the championship which India won four times earlier.
"The team is delighted at the perfect start. Nepal were not a weak team and they had a good coach in German Thomas Flath. Beating Nepal 4-0 is no mean achievement," he said.
Chowdhary was though a bit concerned of the injury to Manju and a small niggle to Gouramangi Singh but confident that the team has the bench strength to meet any eventuality against Pakistan on Thursday.
"Except for these two things, the boys are in a high spirits after a good day's work. We hope to continue this against Pakistan also," he said.
India: Subrata Paul (GK), N.S Manju, Mahesh Gawli, Deepak Mondal, Gouramangi Singh (Anwar Ali), Renedy Singh, N.P. Pradeep, (Mehrajuddin Wadoo), Sunil Chetri, Baichung Bhutia (Sushil Singh), Steven Dias, Climax Lawrence.
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