Manolo Marquez has his first win as India national team and it was a dominant one. India scored three past a hapless Maldives as Rahul Bheke, Liston Colaco and the returning Sunil Chhetri scored, all headers, as India ran rampant in Shillong.
India threatened early, Mahesh Singh was tackled superbly as he looked to tap in from close range and Brandon Fernandes went close with a volley from the edge of the box. Liston Colaco, on the left, was a constant threat as he swerved in and out of his channel but couldn't make it count with his final delivery letting him down early. Soon, though, set pieces came to India's aid yet again. Brandon swung one of many corners in in the 34th minute and an unmarked Rahul Bheke jogged onto it and thundered it into the net. It was as easy a header as Bheke will ever score, and his second goal under Marquez gave India a deserved lead.
They kept piling on the pressure, but an injury to Brandon in the 40th minute saw him replaced by Farukh Choudhary. Post-match, Marquez spoke about his worry for Brandon's injury and is unsure if his chief playmaker will be fit for Bangladesh. Farukh, meanwhile, took a few minutes to settle in but once he did -- in the second half -- he was a constant menace alongside Chhetri in the middle. He had a couple of chances but couldn't capitalise before another corner lead to India extending their lead. Mahesh swung it in and found Liston at the far post, who leaped high and placed a powerful header under the bar and just past the reach of the keeper. It was an unusual goal for the pacy winger to score, but his assured finish gave him his first goal in India colours and his team a 2-0 lead on the night.
Sunil Chhetri, though, was determined to not be left out. Although he'd shown flashes of magic, and had a bullet header saved off the line on a corner, it appeared for the longest that he might not grab a goal on his return to India blue. But Mahesh swung in a cross from the right, Farukh slipped as he attempted to get to it, Liston rescued it and swung it back in deliciously, and Chhetri timed his run impeccably to the near post and glanced his header in. A superb goal, his 95th for India, and that was game over at 3-0.
With this winning momentum behind them, India will now look forward to take on Bangladesh on March 25, Tuesday. Meanwhile, you can relive all the action from the India-Maldives game right here on our live blog: