New Delhi, August 23: Bhaichung Bhutia celebrated his 100th match appearance for the country by scoring one and setting up another goal in India’s 2-1 win over Kyrgyzstan in a round-robin fixture of the Nehru Cup International football tournament here today.
India thus bounced back into a final berth contention in the five-nation tournament after losing to Lebanon 0-1 in the opening match at the Ambedkar Stadium under floodlights.
Bhutia, who started his international career in 1995 in the same tournament in Kolkata, scored in the 43rd minute before Sunil Chhetri converted a penalty in the 57th minute.
The penalty was awarded when Bhutia was brought down by the Kyrgyz goalkeeper Matiash Pavel inside the danger zone.
Murzaev Mirlan reduced the margin for Kyrgyzstan in the 89th minute.
Egged on a by a packed stadium, the Indian attack was a lot more sharper with the return of Chhetri, who started in place of Sushil Singh, and the Delhi striker showed his class with a lot good moves which made the Kyrgyz defence nervy on many occasions.
With the ground shorn of tall grass, conducive for Bob Houghton’s boys to play short-passing football, India raided the Kyrgyzstan citadel a number of times with most of the moves from the right flank via Steven Dias, who also created havoc with his crosses and free kicks.
—Agencies