As stated earlier, Panama were really poor today and even Williams was surprised by it. He speaks to the host broadcasters and says that he was surprised by the amount of space that the goalkeeper gave him on the right hand side.

"It was quite surprsing, we didn't want to sit too far back. We wanted to try and hurt them as well. One can actually try and start swinging, try to score and we did that.

"It's come down the side, the keeper has given me so much space on the right and then, like my hero Thierry Henry just opened up and slotted it in.

"He just opened it up for and there was no way I could miss it."

Sahal plays Manvir forward, he had two defenders to beat but there was no help for him. The danger is smothered out. That could be the last act of the match.

One more change for India, Ashique Kuruniyan comes off for Jay Gupta. It has been India on the ascendancy in these last 10 minutes of regular time thus far. Panama, have been utterly underwhelming today. What a night this is for Indian football.

Ryan Williams and Vikram Partap make way for Sahal Abdul Samad and Edmund Lalrindika. Earlier, Anirudh Thapa had come on for Ricky Shabong.

Oh a long-range screamer there from Valencia and Panama have drawn level. Valencia has gone for a couple of these in this half. This time, it comes good. Shot taken from around the middle of the pitch, maybe about 30-35 yards away from goal. It spins and swerves and fizzes and spits fire, Sandhu left rooted to his spot as it goes into the top right corner. No saving those.

Panama almost play themselvers into trouble and wwell, Christiansen is absolutely losing it on the touchline. Goalkeeper de Leon receives the ball and Manveer charges at him. He tries a cheek short pass to a defender with Manvir bearing down on him and well his teammate was under pressure from Ryan Williams too. That man was Anderson and he somehow kicks the ball out.

All right here we go then.

THREE half-time changes for Panama: The captain Blackman has gone off for Amir Murillo and Jair Modello is off for Omar Valencia. Both the players who went off were the full backs. Azarias Londono also comes on for Rafael Mosquera of New York Red Bulls on the left wing. Panama have henced refreshed their winger and full back on the left, which was where India was attacking the most in the first half.

Read that score. Rub your eyes. And read it again. It is real. India are leading Panama, who are nearly 100 places above them on the FIFA rankings, 1-0. Normally, a gap like this on the rankings becomes very visible on the field, as Indian fans have seen whenever they face sides like Iran and just how hopelessly out of depth India seem when playing teams of that calibre. Today, though, this scoreline is surprisingly a fair reflection of how the first half went. Panama have been toothless and the pass that put Williams through was really nothing more than a simple ball over the top of their defence. They have rarely put India under any serious pressure, Sandhu hasn't been needed too often.

What can Thomas Christiansen conjure in his half-time speech in the dressing room?

Not much to report in the minutes since the end of the drinks break. India have been on the ball a little more but most of that possession has comprised of sideways passes betweemn the defenders. Panama went for an attack but Mosquera couldn't control the ball and it fizzled away.

Ashique gets on his bike as India counter again, puts in a cross with Williams rushing into the box. However, a Panama defender gets to it first and it is cleared away. Panama are actually looking quite frazzled here. Do remember, India are ranked nearly 100 places below them in the FIFA rankings. Anything apart from a big win here will be seen as a embarassment for them back home. Wonder if that thought is starting to play tricks with their heads.

Ryan Williams drives down the left and provokes a corner, sparking big roars from the crowd again, there is a significantly big chunk of the crowd right behind the goal that India are attacking. Williams sends it in, Bijoy, who is filling in for Sandesh Jhingan today in every way, including the 'big defender with a man-bun' department, goes for it with a towering header. Can't quite get the connection right.

A CHANCE FOR INDIA! No, really.

Anwar Ali plays Aashique through on the left flank and he released Akash further forward. He cuts it in for Ryan Williams who, unbelievably, fails to take a shot from right in the centre of the box. That would've sent a few shockwaves.

Here we go then, Panama attacking from right to left and they have most of the ball in the first two minutes, to no one's surprise ever. Both sides are in their home kits.

Khalid Jamil has preferred to keep shifting the captain's armband between his senior players. Today, it's Gurpreet Singh Sandhu who is wearing it.

SO, here we are! Three matches against three big, big international teams, with the biggest of all being on October 3. But today, India face an opposition that recently made all kinds of waves in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At the moment, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is greeting the two sets of players. This wil be followed by the national anthems.