Pritam Kotal and Cavin Lobo were among five ISL players to make their India debut.India national team coach Stephen Constantine carved out a slice of footballing history with his starting lineup for their FIFA World Cup 2018/AFC Asian Cup 2019 Preliminary Joint Qualifier against Nepal. In an Indian footballing first, there were four debutants in the starting eleven, three of whom were defenders and Hero Indian Super League (ISL) stars. Sandesh Jhingan, Saumik Dey (both Kerala Blasters FC) and Pritam Kotal (FC Pune City), all stalwarts in the back-line for their ISL teams, earned their first caps, as did Eugeneson Lyngdoh. By the end of the match three more players had made their debut, with Constantine exhibiting confidence that the new generation would bring a new feel to the team. India went onto beat Nepal 2-0 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati. Sunil Chhetri scored both goals for India with two stunning long-range strikes, one off each foot. He was denied a hat-trick when his late penalty was saved brilliantly by the Nepal goalkeeper. The miss was just one of many opportunities India spurned, with a few scuffed finishes and a goal rightly disallowed for offside keeping India’s winning margin down. The first goal was about the attacking triangle. Sunil Chhetri, Robin Singh and Lenny Rodrigues (FC Pune City) combined to win the ball deep in the Nepal half, before talisman Chhetri scored with a sublime finish. India doubled their lead thanks to some exquisite work from youngster and debutant Jakichand Singh, who held the ball before setting up Chhetri to shoot with his favoured right foot and finish well once again. Other ISL players who were part of the starting eleven were Arnab Mondal (Atlético de Kolkata), Francis Fernandes (Delhi Dynamos), Lalrindika Ralte (Mumbai City FC) and newly-appointed India captain Subrata Paul (Mumbai City FC). Cavin Lobo (Atlético de Kolkata) also made his debut, coming on as a 75th-minute replacement for Rodrigues. Lobo’s introduction had an immediate impact as it was he who won the penalty. Holicharan Narzary (FC Goa) also came on in the dying minutes of the game to make his first appearance for the national side.The return leg in Kathmandu is on Tuesday, March 17.
