The Indian men’s football team struggled to get off to a good start in the Asian Games. In their debut appearance at the continental tournament, they were thrashed 1-5 by hosts China. Despite the devastating conclusion, the unit defeated Bangladesh in a must-win game. They drew 1-1 with Myanmar on Sunday, advancing to the knockout stages for the first time in 13 years. Sunil Chhetri, on the other hand, remained a bright spot in the entire circumstance.
Captain Sunil Chhetri played every minute of India’s three Asian Games matches so far, scoring two of the team’s three goals to lead the country to the round of 16 but having become a father recently, he is also missing his son. The 39-year-old Chhetri and his wife Sonam were last month blessed with a baby boy but he had to leave them behind and attend to national duty.
“There is an age difference with other boys. Some of them are really young, we give them space. I and Sandesh are a bit aloof from them. We have young kids at home. I am missing my son and he (Jhingan) is desperately missing his daughter,” Chhetri said when asked how he spends time with the team members.
India drew with Myanmar in their last Group A match and qualified for the knockout stage as the runners-up side,. The rag-tag team, assembled just two days before its departure for China, exceeded expectations by reaching the round of 16.
The team did not have any training session together prior to the Games as the players and the support staff reached here just hours before the first group match. The team strategy was discussed inside the aircraft and at the transit airport.
“It has been difficult, we are playing three games in five days. The good thing is we have qualified (for round of 16) now and we will hang on. We need to be as fit as possible for the next match.” Chhetri, Jhingan and India’s number-one goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu were named in a full-strength team. The latter two were not released by their respective Indian Super League clubs.
India 1-1 Myanmar in Asian Games: Blue Tigers qualify for RO16 after 13…
After an appeal from Chhetri himself, Jhingan was released.
“I am feeling guilty of forcing him (Jhingan) in different ways to get him here. Because I realised it was only me (in the team) with the young kids I have not played with before, due respect to all of them.
“I thought all three of us were going. Then I found out two days before departure that it was only me (out of the three) going.
“There was a day I thought I was not playing. I was thinking of getting other lads and I could fish only one. I take responsibility that I tried a lot, worked on my powers and I could fish him (Jhingan),” Chhetri said with a laugh.
Sunil Chhetri spoke highly of Jhingan, describing him as a football brain as well as a “warrior”.
“A lot of people said this and that about his defending, but he is a good football brain and he is an absolute warrior. That is the best thing about Sandesh. His will to win is second to none. He will do anything to win.” He said the players have risen to the occasion tremendously under difficult circumstances.
“We did not have anybody for substitution in the first match. Kudos to the players for giving their best.
“We passed on the message to the younger players in the meeting. They are trying to make things very simple, very basic. We have not done any combination play.”
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