Kolkata: Ryan Williams waited two years and five months for the night to happen. And four minutes to make it memorable. No Indian has scored sooner on debut.
It was the first of many firsts in Kochi. First win of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying campaign, first for Khalid Jamil as head coach and a first goal for Akash Mishra whose 50th minute volley made the 2-1 result against Hong Kong possible. This was India’s first win in seven matches since March 19, 2025 when they beat Maldives 3-0 in a friendly.
Just to be here was amazing, Williams said in the flash interview. “And then to score early on and win….” Once an Australian, now an Indian, what Williams was hoping for was a good start, he told HT on Monday. Instead, as he sent Hong Kong goalie Pong Cheuk Hei the wrong way with the outside of his right boot, Williams made history.
It was the perfect end to a move that began in India’s back half and involved two defenders before Lallianzuala Chhangte swivelled and found a third, Abhishek Singh. The right back played to Manvir Singh on the right and he found Williams with a slick pass that produced a slicker finish. The record for the fastest goal for India before this was six minutes, jointly held by K Appalaraju (1963) and Mehtab Hossain (2005).
For only the second time in a miserable campaign, India were ahead. Unlike against Singapore, this time they got another. If the first goal had panache written all over it, the second was about power from an acute angle. Mishra had forced a throw-in and after Rahul Bheke delivered long—the CAFA Cup had shown that this will be part of Jamil’s attacking repertoire—the ball pinged in the penalty area before the full back let it rip.
Brazilian-born forward Everton Camargo denied a clean sheet, catching central defenders and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu out of position in the 65th minute but Hong Kong didn’t have much to show for going forward. India did.
The CAFA Cup bronze won by dogged defending, Jamil had surprised Singapore by putting out an attacking line-up last October. On Tuesday, with Williams, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco, Chhangte—wide forwards all—and full backs Abhishek Singh and Mishra who love to move up, Jamil began with an even more attacking set-up.
One that was fast. And fluid with Williams given the freedom to drop off, ghost through the middle, go left and drift wide. At the heart of most of India build-ups, the former Australia international nearly repaid Manvir the compliment. Manvir then found Chhangte twice with delectable first touch passes and set up Ashique Kuruniyan.
India’s campaign could have ended differently had Kuruniyan taken his chances in the away tie. It wasn’t any different in front of over 22,000 people rooting for one of Kerala’s own. He aimed from distance more in hope than anything else and went solo, wasting a promising counter-attack when Abhishek Singh was better placed.
Kuruniyan came in for the injured Williams in the 70th minute. Anwar Ali, used in midfield in Mohun Bagan-East Bengal partnership with Lalengmawia Ralte, limped off next minute and the forced changes coming soon after Hong Kong had scored could have meant trouble. If it didn’t, it was because Ralte commanded the midfield and because the players looked sharper.
This was only the second time in six matches that they were playing for India while the league was on. India’s plan for 2026 is not known but even as they finished last in the group, they look to have journeyed from confused to confident.
