New Delhi: Sunil Chhetri made a dream return to the national team as India secured a dominant 3-0 win over Maldives in a FIFA International Friendly at Shillong’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The veteran striker, playing his 152nd match for India after 286 days, sealed the victory with his 95th international goal. Manolo Marquez, in his first win as India’s head coach, saw his team break a 15-month winless streak in front of a packed home crowd.
Sunil Chhetri marks comeback with goal as India cruise to victory
Death, taxes and Sunil Chhetri scoring in an India 🇮🇳 jersey. The constants in life.#INDMDV #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/gziA6htU3O
— Shyam Vasudevan (@JesuisShyam) March 19, 2025
India started with attacking intent, with Mahesh Singh and Brandon Fernandes testing the Maldives defence early on. The breakthrough came in the 34th minute when Rahul Bheke powered in a header from a Brandon corner, giving India a well-deserved lead. The goal lifted the team’s confidence as they continued to push forward.
Brandon’s night was cut short due to injury just before half-time, forcing Marquez to bring on Farukh Choudhary. The substitute took time to settle but played a key role in the second half. India doubled their lead in the 66th minute when Liston Colaco scored his first international goal with a precise header from Mahesh Singh’s corner.
The loudest cheers came in the 76th minute when Chhetri got his goal. After seeing an earlier header cleared off the line, the captain made no mistake when Liston whipped in a cross from the left. Chhetri’s glancing header left the Maldives keeper helpless, capping off a perfect return for India’s all-time top scorer.
With the game secured, Marquez subbed Chhetri off in the 82nd minute, allowing young forward Irfan Yadwad to get some minutes. The veteran striker walked off to a hero’s reception as India controlled the final moments to seal a confident win.
India will now shift focus to their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier against Bangladesh on March 25, hoping to build on this momentum.
Sunil Chhetri marked his return with a goal as India defeated Maldives 3-0 in Shillong, ending their 15-month winless streak in Manolo Marquez’s first victory as head coach. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
