India beat Puerto Rico 4-1 at the Mumbai Football Arena in Andheri on Saturday evening to mark a winning return for international football to the maximum city. The hosts fell behind early to an Emanuel Sanchez penalty but that was about as good as it got for the visitors. Goals from Narayan Das (FC Pune City), Sunil Chhetri (Mumbai City FC) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (Chennaiyin FC) made it 3-1 in the Blue Tigers’ favour at half-time, while Jackichand Singh (Mumbai City FC) added another to cap off Mumbai’s first international match in 61 years with a resounding 4-1 scoreline.Puerto Rico started brightly and broke the deadlock in the eighth minute after Jackichand gave away a penalty for a tackle from behind. Sanchez stepped up for the Puerto Ricans and converted the spot-kick to put his side up 1-0.The hosts started seeing more of the ball after falling behind and registered their first shot on goal in the 14th minute through Pronoy Halder who tested the Puerto Rican keeper with a stinging effort from range.They didn’t have to wait long for the equaliser either. After Bikash Jairu won a free-kick right on the edge of the visitors’ box, Chhetri executed a delightful free-kick that ricochet off the post and found its way to Das, who fired in with his left-foot to make it 1-1 in the 17th minute.Chhetri went one better shortly after through a brilliant goal to get his name on the scoresheet. Another free-kick on the edge of the box in the 24th minute by India’s all-time top scorer struck the post again. This time around, however, the ball went on in to ripple the back of net after disturbing the woodwork as the hosts took a 2-1 lead.The Blue Tigers’ custodian Gurpreet Sandhu was called into action a minute later to deny Puerto Rico an immediate reply straight after the restart. The visitors were made to pay for their wastefulness in the 34th minute after a brilliant team goal by India.This time it was Lalpekhlua who found the back of the net after Chhetri had cushioned a ball from the right straight at the Super Machans marksman. It was his seventh goal for India in his last seven games and put the hosts in a commanding 3-1 lead at half-time.Jackichand had India’s first shot of the second half but his effort failed to trouble Puerto Rico’s goalkeeper, who was perfectly positioned in goal to make the save. Puerto Rico hit India’s post in the 54th minute after forward Michael Ramos had outpaced India’s backline with a surging run before unleashing a shot at goal.Once again the visitors were made to pay for not taking their chances shortly after when Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s attempted header on goal from a Lalpekhlua cross found its way to Jackichand at the far post. The diminutive winger produced a clinical finish to give his side an unassailable 4-1 lead four minutes before the hour mark.Puerto Rico’s brightest spark of the match, goal-scorer Sanchez hit the post for the visitors again in the 70th minute as the hosts managed to keep their three-goal advantage intact. India could have also added to their lead but a combination of near misses and some excellent work in goal by the substitute Puerto Rican keeper in the second period saw the match end 4-1 in India’s favour.
