India started the match on the front foot just as they did against Afghanistan and they were duly rewarded for their efforts. They were awarded a corner in the 2nd minute of the game and they took full advantage of the set piece.
The Blue Tigers are on the cusp of qualifying for back-to-back editions of the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in their history and need a just a point against Hong Kong to secure their berth in the AFC Asian Cup finals.
Hong Kong have also won both its matches against Afghanistan and Cambodia so far. As a result, the final match will determine the top spot, with the winners advancing directly to the AFC Asian Cup 2023 main draw.
The midfielder was the man of the moment, seizing the limelight after bringing home the three points in a last-gasp goal after being subbed on for goalscorer and captain Sunil Chhetri in the closing minutes of the match.
The Blue Tigers who beat Cambodia in their first match on Wednesday could take a giant step towards confirming their presence in next year's AFC Asian Cup finals with a victory on Saturday.
The Blue Tigers are currently sitting at the top of the points table in Group D after their win over Cambodia in their first match while Anoush Dastgir's men who faced a defeat against Hong Kong in their first match need a win to stay in contention for an AFC Asian Cup berth.