Masterminded superbly by ace striker Sunil Chhetri, a dominant India scripted a sensational 4-1 win over higher-ranked Puerto Rico in an international football friendly at the Andheri Sports Complex stadium here on Saturday night.
India were down 0-1 in the seventh minute with Emmanuel Sanchez scoring off a spot-kick award, but the hosts went on to dominate the visitors, ranked 38 places above them, with some slick passing and quick attacking moves.
India, who led 3-1 at the half-way stage, scored their goals through Narayan Das (18th minute), Chhetri (26th), Jeje lalpekhlua (34th) and Jackichand Singh (58th).
Chhetri, who had given away his captain's armband to Norway-based towering custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu for this game, paved the way for two goals and also struck once to emerge as the star player for the home country.
This was India's fourth straight victory after the 1-2 loss to Turkmenistan in the World Cup qualifier in Kochi in March early this year. They had got past laos 6-1 and 1-0 in the Asia Cup qualifiers in June and then drubbed Bhutan 3-0 last month in another international friendly.
India have not beaten higher-ranked teams often in the past and had even lost 1-2 to Afghanistan in the SAFF Cup in Kochi in January.
This victory, albeit against a none-too-strong-looking Puerto Rico side, which had arrived here only last evening and clearly looked tired after their long journey, thus must have pleased national coach Stephen Constantine who included several youngsters to prop up the team.
India, in fact, started the match — the first in Mumbai after six decades — on the wrong foot by conceding a penalty in the seventh minute when Elliot Velez was brought down on the left of the area by Jackichand Singh.
The spot-kick was put in by the tall medio Sanchez who beat Indian custodian and match skipper Gurpreet to bulge the bottom right corner of the goal. But, India regrouped form there to complete the comeback.