saff suzuki cup india - Robin singh saves india's blushes

•         Striker Robin singh did the star turn for host india as it kick started its campaign with a patchy 2-0 win over sri lankan in the SAFF suzuki cup football championship at the greenfield stadium here on friday.
•         Robin singh's brace (51st and 74th) saved india's blushes against an overtly defensive srilankan side.
•        The margin of victory could have been higher for india but srilankan captain and goal keeper don sujan perera was virually unbeatable under the bar.
•        He made at least five good save and indian striker jeje was the denied at least thrice by perera.
•        coach constatine made four changes to the indian team that played guam in the world cup qualifiers in november.
•        Lalpekhlua, pronoy Halder , sanju pradhan and augustin fernandez were drafted into the team but the side did hot have to work for too long to striker rhythm.
•        The host started in a fluorish earning couple of corners and free kicks inside the first five minutes.
•        Captain sunil chettri had a header saved early by perera in the sixth minute.
•        The sri lankan captain then had to come out of his position to deny lalpekhlua in the 10th minute after the striker was put through by eugeneson lyngdoh.
•        Thereafter, sri kanka employed the tactics it had used so successfully against nepal in the opening match, it became overtly defensive and made no attemps to launch an attack at the indian goal.
•        To their credit, the sri lankans defended stolidly and whenever the indians managed a go at the goal perera was alert to thwart the indians.
•       Sri lanka completed its league engagements in Group-A with three points but will have wait for the final match between india and nepal on sunday to know its fate.