Striker Jeje Lalpekhlua scored twice as India recovered from a 1-0 deficit to thrash Laos 6-1 and book a berth in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup football qualifiers here on Tuesday. India won 7-1 on aggregate.
The home side, down 1-0 in the 16th minute through a Khonesavanh Sihavong strike, hit back in style. It scored six goals, including three in seven minutes, to register a comfortable win.
Lalpekhlua (42 & 74), Sumeet Passi (45), Sandesh Jhingan (49), Mohd. Rafique (83) and debutant Fulganco Cardozo (87) were the goal-scorers for India in the second leg encounter.
The win and a berth in the Asian Cup qualifiers will ease the pressure on coach Stephen Constantine whose future has been under the scanner after a string of poor shows.
India took some time to settle down in the match played under slippery conditions and Laos was the better side in the first 15 minutes.
The host’s off-side trap failed as Sihavong found himself unmarked inside the box and sent home a left-footer past Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Jolted by the reverse, India regrouped. In the 41st minute, Constantine replaced Udanta Singh with Jackichand Singh, and the move paid dividends. The latter’s entry saw the momentum shift India’s way as it pumped home three goals in a seven-minute period.
India found the equaliser three minutes before half-time when Jackichand sent a fine cross from the right. Passi’s dummy saw the ball reach Jeje who chested it down before slotting home past the Laos goalkeeper.
The home team went ahead when Passi, playing in only his second international, scored off a cross from Jackichand from the left. This was the former’s first goal for the country.
India continued its domination in the second half with central defender Jhingan making it to the scoresheet, his header off Eugenson Lyngdoh’s free kick beating the Laos defenders and the goalkeeper.
Despite enjoying a 3-1 advantage, India did not relax and went on to score three more goals en route to one of its biggest-ever wins.
Jeje, who has been in the form of his life, scored his second goal off a superb pass from Chhetri. Passi made it 5-1, his shot from the edge of the box off Chhetri’s assist beating the Laos goalkeeper. Cardozo completed the rout as he headed home the sixth goal, this time off Jackichand’s assist.
The result: India 6 (Lalpekhlua 42 & 74, Passi 45, Jhingan 49, Rafique 83, Cardozo 87) bt Laos 1 (Sihavong 16). India won 7-1 on aggregate.
