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India Gazette
6 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Focused, motivated and ready, Lallianzuala Chhangte eyes Asian qualification
Kolkata (West Bengal)[India], May 27 (ANI): The AFC Asian Cup is the pinnacle of football in the world's biggest continent. As Asia's best turn up on the grand stage every four years, it presents an opportunity to rub shoulders with them and prove your mettle. Winger Lallianzuala Chhangte's first experience at the showpiece event was in Qatar last year. Despite things not going India's way as they suffered three defeats, Chhangte proclaimed how big of a learning curve the AFC Asian Cup was for him and the entire squad, and how the Blue Tigers are taking those learnings forward as they battle for qualification for the 2027 edition. 'We were in the same group as some of the best countries in Asia (Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria). Even though the last Asian Cup wasn't the best experience, individually, I learned a lot in terms of making the right decision at key moments. As a team, I believe that that setback shaped our character and built us into better players and better human beings as well. Now, we're really looking forward to the next challenge. Right now, our main focus is to qualify for the Asian Cup again,' Chhangte told India will play Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Final Round on June 10 in Kowloon City. Before that, the Blue Tigers will play a preparatory friendly against Thailand on June 4 in Pathum Thani. 'The atmosphere in the camp is really positive right now. Everyone is focused, motivated, and ready to give their best every single day, especially after the setback against Bangladesh. Everyone wants to turn things around. Even the staff, physios, doctors, and masseurs have been so great with us, pushing us in every way they could. The camp has a lot of energy -- good and healthy competition, which is great,' Chhangte added. With 42 caps for the national team, the 27-year-old Chhangte is one of the most experienced players in the Indian squad. Among the current lot who are training in Kolkata, only Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan had made their international debut before the Mizo winger. He was just 18 when he donned the India shirt at the 2015 SAFF Championship in Thiruvananthapuram, and also scored a stunning brace against Nepal in his second game. 'Playing for the national team is the highest achievement for a football player. And when you wear the shirt, when you have the privilege to represent your country, I feel you have to give everything. That's what I want to do every time I come to the camp. It's an amazing feeling, and I don't take this for granted. I want to make each day count and give my best for my country,' said Chhangte. Nine years and numerous accolades later, Chhangte doesn't carry the weight of the nation's expectations, but rather embraces it. Goals in the final of the 2023 Intercontinental Cup and 2023 SAFF Championship, and against Qatar in the World Cup Qualifiers last year, are a testament to that. He is a two-time AIFF Men's Player of the Year (2022-23 and 2023-24) and has won two SAFF titles, a Tri-Nation Series, and the Intercontinental Cup for India. With his club, Mumbai City FC, he won the ISL Shield Cup and the Player of the League award. 'I feel that when the expectations are high, it shows that you are not a normal player. I'm not trying to be pompous, of course, but when you've been delivering for your club and country, the expectations get higher from the fans, the coach and your teammates as well. I like that, and it pushes me to work even harder. Every single day on and off the pitch, the way I look after myself, the way I work -- it's all about being an example, especially for the young players. 'We are privileged to have great senior players around us like Sandesh bhai and Chhetri bhai. Personally, I've learned a lot from them as well.' With 46 goals, Chhangte is the second-highest Indian scorer in ISL history behind Sunil Chhetri. In the current Blue Tigers squad too, apart from Chhetri, nobody has scored more goals for India than Chhangte (eight). Each of those goals has something in common -- the celebration. 'I'm a believer, and every time I score a goal, I look up to the sky and say, 'God, that was you'. Because sometimes when I score, I know where it came from. Sometimes it just pops into my leg, and I simply don't know where it came from. So I just point to the sky and thank God for being gracious, for his blessings, and for being by my side every time I step onto the pitch,' Chhangte shared. (ANI)
United News of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- United News of India
Lallianzuala Chhangte eyes Asian qualification
Kolkata, May 27 (UNI) The AFC Asian Cup is the pinnacle of football in the world's biggest continent, as Asia's very best turn up on the grand stage every four years, it presents an opportunity to rub shoulders with them and prove your mettle. Winger Lallianzuala Chhangte's first experience at the showpiece event was in Qatar last year. Despite things not going India's way as they suffered three defeats, Chhangte proclaimed how big of a learning curve the AFC Asian Cup was for him and the entire squad, and how the Blue Tigers are taking those learnings forward as they battle for qualification for the 2027 edition. "We were in the same group as some of the best countries in Asia (Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria). Even though the last Asian Cup wasn't the best experience, individually, I learned a lot in terms of making the right decision at key moments. As a team, I believe that that setback shaped our character and built us into better players and better human beings as well," Chhangte told "Now, we're really looking forward to the next challenge. Right now, our main focus is to qualify for the Asian Cup again," he said. India will play Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Final Round on June 10 in Kowloon City. Before that, the Blue Tigers will play a preparatory friendly against Thailand on June 4 in Pathum Thani. "The atmosphere in the camp is really positive right now. Everyone is focused, motivated, and ready to give their best every single day, especially after the setback against Bangladesh. Everyone wants to turn things around. Even the staff, physios, doctors, and masseurs have been so great with us, pushing us in every way they could. The camp has a lot of energy — good and healthy competition, which is great," Chhangte said. With 42 caps for the national team, the 27-year-old Chhangte is one of the most experienced players in the Indian squad. Among the current lot who are training in Kolkata, only Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan had made their international debut before the Mizo winger. He was just 18 when he donned the India shirt at the 2015 SAFF Championship in Thiruvananthapuram, and also scored a stunning brace against Nepal in his second game. "Playing for the national team is the highest achievement for a football player. And when you wear the shirt, when you have the privilege to represent your country, I feel you have to give everything. That's what I want to do every time I come to the camp. It's an amazing feeling, and I don't take this for granted. I want to make each day count and give my best for my country," said Chhangte. Nine years and numerous accolades later, Chhangte doesn't carry the weight of the nation's expectations, but rather embraces it. Goals in the final of the 2023 Intercontinental Cup and 2023 SAFF Championship, and against Qatar in the World Cup Qualifiers last year are a testament to that. He is a two-time AIFF Men's Player of the Year (2022-23 and 2023-24) and has won two SAFF titles, a Tri-Nation Series, and the Intercontinental Cup for India. With his club Mumbai City FC, he has won the ISL Shield, Cup and the Player of the League award. "I feel that when the expectations are high, it shows that you are not a normal player. I'm not trying to be pompous, of course, but when you've been delivering for your club and country, the expectations get higher from the fans, the coach and your teammates as well. I like that, and it pushes me to work even harder. Every single day on and off the pitch, the way I look after myself, the way I work — it's all about being an example, especially for the young players," Chhangte said. "We are privileged to have great senior players around us like Sandesh bhai and Chhetri bhai. Personally, I've learned a lot from them as well," he said. With 46 goals, Chhangte is the second-highest Indian scorer in ISL history behind Sunil Chhetri. In the current Blue Tigers squad too, apart from Chhetri, nobody has scored more goals for India than Chhangte (eight). Each of those goals has something in common — the celebration. "I'm a believer, and every time I score a goal, I look up to the sky and say, 'God, that was you'. Because sometimes when I score, I know where it came from. Sometimes it just pops into my leg, and I simply don't know where it came from. So I just point to the sky and thank God for being gracious, for his blessings, and for being by my side every time I step onto the pitch," Chhangte shared. UNI BM
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Haven't taken a day off since 5-0 drubbing to Bengaluru: Lallianzuala Chhangte
Lallianzuala Chhangte Mumbai: Lallianzuala Chhangte was not someone you were expecting to run into in the press box at DY Patil Stadium on April 6. Much as the Mumbai City captain, accompanied by a couple of teammates, enjoyed watching Luis Figo, Xavi, Carles Puyol and several other former Barcelona and Real Madrid stars roll back the years in an El Clasico legends exhibition game that evening, he would surely have preferred being at Fatorda, battling FC Goa in the ISL semifinal return leg. Bengaluru FC made sure he didn't have that possibility. Just the week prior, in the first knockout game of the ISL playoffs, Chhangte's Mumbai City were dealt a 5-0 drubbing by the Blues, bringing what had already been a dismal campaign to a crushing end. For the Mizoram-born forward, it was a bitter finish to his first ISL season as Islanders captain. But you expected to see a response from a team who have twice been ISL champions in the last five years, and respond they have. The ongoing Kalinga Super Cup in Bhubaneswar has seen Petr Kratky's side sweep aside Chennaiyin beforeedging past a plucky Inter Kashi to reach the semifinals where they play Jamshedpur on Wednesday. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Picking themselves up from that humbling night at Kanteerava Stadium would have been anything but a straightforward task, but there was no time to lose. 'Every setback is a lesson that shapes our character which has shown in the Super Cup,' Chhangte told TOI on Tuesday. 'The defeat against Bengaluru was hard and from the next morning, we haven't had a day off until our first match against Chennaiyin.' Who's that IPL player? That next game will easily be Mumbai's biggest test of the knockout tournament yet, against a team who beat them in both ISL meetings this season. 'They are one of the most physical teams and they could hurt you. We all know what happened in the league, but this is a different cup,' Chhangte said. With three goals and an assist to his name, the 27-year-old's own form is undoubtedly a boost for the Islanders. 'I just have to give a good example for my team, be a leader on and off the pitch, set an example, especially when my team needs me most,' Chhangte said. He added: 'It's a privilege to be the captain of one of the best clubs in India. But it's always in me that I just want to set an example every single day.'
Hans India
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Kalinga Super Cup: We have learned from our mistakes, says MCFC's Chhangte ahead of Inter Kashi clash
New Delhi: Within a span of two weeks, Mumbai City FC went from losing 0-5 in the Indian Super League (ISL) Playoffs against Bengaluru FC to slotting four goals past Chennaiyin FC to book their spot in the quarterfinals of the Kalinga Super Cup, where they will take on Inter Kashi. Mumbai had a lacklustre season throughout the 2024-25 campaign, after having entered as defending champions, but were not up to their typical dangerous attacking self. Despite boasting an amazing defensive record which saw the Islanders end with the third least conceded goals this season, they only found the back of the net 29 times which was the lowest goal tally of a top-six team this season. In an interaction with IANS, Lallianzuala Chhangte, who scored a brace in the opening game, revealed how the side learned from their mistakes and have started the Super Cup in the correct manner. 'We've learned from our mistakes, and it was an experience that will give us a different perspective and that will build us as better human beings and better footballers. I want to learn from that experience. Going forward to the last match, Super Cup, I am really happy with how we performed as a team, not only as an individual, because when you see our squad, there are so many injuries inside the team and you can see we have only two foreign players available right now, like in the first match. 'But I am really happy the players who came in to fill the space fully did their job because the Super Cup is just do or die. If you lose, you are gone. So everyone knows that, and we are fully focused, and I think this is a good start. We are already focused on the next final against Inter Kashi,' Chhangte told IANS. In just two years since they entered the I-League, Inter Kashi FC have certainly made a name for themselves. Under the leadership of Antonio Lopez Habas, the most successful coach in ISL history, they almost secured a qualification to the ISL but finished second in their I-League 2024-25 campaign. They followed it with an incredible outing in the Round of 16 by defeating ISL runners-up Bengaluru FC via penalty shootouts. Chhangte remained adamant that they will not be underestimating Sunday's opponents. 'It doesn't matter who we are playing against, an elite team or a team in the ISL. It doesn't matter. Our approach is still the same, and Inter Kashi are a very good team, if not the best. They are one of the best teams in the I-League. So we are not underestimating them. We respect them fully, but of course, every team has their strengths and weaknesses, right? 'So we have to focus on what we can do, on where we can, you know, make them suffer. I feel it's more important to focus on our team than our opponents. So that is exactly what we are doing. We are fully recovered now, and we are ready to take the battles,' he added. After having been eliminated in the manner they were, Chhangte described Mumbai's performance against Chennai as beautiful and claimed the game against Kashi will be even more difficult than their first game. "After our last match in the ISL, we have not had a day off yet. I mean, yeah, we have our recovery days. We have been working really, really hard, and you can see that in the last match, how lively we were, how energetic we were and how we fought as a team was beautiful, and I hope all the players, not only the young players, continue their mindset. 'Because right now, some people might think that, oh, they're playing against an I-League team, you know, the approach that we had before has to continue in the next match, regardless of who we are playing. And we can't be, you know, complacent. We can't think that it's going to be easy. No, it's going to be more difficult than the first match. I guarantee that. So we have to be fully focused,' he concluded.
United News of India
24-04-2025
- Sport
- United News of India
Mumbai City FC beat Chennaiyin FC 4-0 in Kalinga Super Cup
Bhubaneswar, Apr 24 (UNI) Lallianzuala Chhangte delivered a captain's performance with a dazzling brace as Mumbai City FC breezed past Chennaiyin FC 4-0 in a dominant Round of 16 encounter of the 2025 Kalinga Super Cup at the Kalinga Stadium here. The first half ended 1-0. Nikolaos Karelis (43') scored the first goal for Mumbai City FC at the stroke of half time before Lallianzuala Chhangte (64', 86') stole the show with his two goals. Substitute Bipin Singh (90') capped off the win with a strike in the last minute on Wednesday night. Mumbai City FC, still smarting from a heavy 0-5 defeat against Bengaluru FC in the ISL knockout rounds, responded in emphatic fashion to book their place in the Kalinga Super Cup quarter-finals. Their opponents, Chennaiyin FC, had finished a disappointing 11th in the ISL, and their Super Cup journey came to an end after another underwhelming performance. From the opening whistle, Mumbai City were on the front foot. The attacking trio of Chhangte, Karelis, and Jorge Ortiz looked sharp, with intricate passing and excellent movement that repeatedly exposed gaps in the Chennaiyin backline. Chhangte nearly opened the scoring early on when he latched onto a defensive error, glided past his marker and unleashed a shot towards the far post only to see it come back off the woodwork. Chennaiyin struggled to settle into the game and were denied what looked like a potential penalty after Daniel Chima Chukwu was brought down in the box by Vikram Pratap Singh, but the referee waved play on. The breakthrough finally came in the 43rd minute. A half-cleared corner fell kindly to Hitesh Sharma, who lofted a teasing ball into the box. Chennaiyin goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz was a tad late in coming out to affect a save and Nikolaos Karelis made no mistake, nodding home from close range to put the Islanders ahead at the break. After the interval, Mumbai City resumed their control. Ortiz and Chhangte combined beautifully to carve open chances, and the latter came close again before Chennaiyin nearly found an equaliser. Lukas Brambilla danced past Mumbai City goalkeeper TP Rehenesh and seemed destined to score, but Mehtab Singh's goal-line clearance denied Chennaiyin a lifeline. That moment proved to be the turning point. In the 64th minute, Ortiz once again danced past his marker and slipped Karelis in behind. The Greek forward's effort across goal wasn't the cleanest, but Chhangte was there at the far post to tap it into an open net and double Mumbai City's lead. Chhangte struck again in the 86th minute with a touch of class. Ortiz played a sublime outside-of-the-boot flick to send him through. The winger cut inside on his favoured left foot and curled a low shot past the goalkeeper to make it 3-0. In the last minute of the game, Chhangte turned provider. A delicate scooped pass found Bipin Singh in the box, who brushed aside pressure from Mandar Rao Desai and calmly slotted home to complete the rout. Lallianzuala Chhangte was presented the Kalinga Player of the Match award. UNI BM
