Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers: Sunil Chhetri scores twice as India beat Bangladesh 2-0

India football skipper Sunil Chhetri (Source: Twitter)

Sunil Chhetri's brace helped India defeat Bangladesh 2-0 in the ongoing FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and AFC Asian Cup China Qualifiers on Monday at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium at Al Sadd Club in Doha.

The 36-year-old Chhetri scored both his goals in the second half of the match as he netted the ball into the goalpost in the 79th and 92nd minutes. With this win, India has risen to the third spot in Group E with six points from seven games.

117 Matches 
74 Goals 

The legend of @chetrisunil11 continues #BANIND #WCQ #BackTheBlue #BlueTigers #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/jCEkv3KRr1 — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) June 7, 2021

Chhetri's first goal was a properly-timed header from a left-sided cross while the other was an injury-time strike, as he curled home a finish from inside the penalty area.

Stimac made three changes from the side that took on Qatar in the last match. The Blue Tigers made a cautious start, playing it amongst themselves, searching for the gaps.

He’s now got more than Messi! Sunil Chhetri’s double earns the Blue Tigers a 2-0 win in #WCQ and moves him on to 74 international goals – above Lionel Messi and one off entering world football’s all-time top 10 @chetrisunil11 | @IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/sCCd6BgS9H — FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 7, 2021

Bangladesh began to throw bodies forward in search of the equaliser, but were often thwarted by the Indian defence. Jamal Bhuyian went into the referee's books a minute after Chhetri's goal, for a foul on Brandon Fernandes.

Last week, India had suffered a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Qatar despite a good showing from goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

India will next lock horns against Afghanistan in the Qualifiers on Tuesday, June 15. The side is already out of contention to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2022, but the Blue Tigers can still qualify for AFC Asian Cup.