Sawt Falasteen - Australian journeyman emerges as India's unlikely football saviour

Perth-born Ryan Williams, whose mother is Anglo-Indian and his father English, pounced for the opening goal in India's 2-1 win over Hong Kong in Asian Cup qualifying on Tuesday in Kochi.

It was the fastest goal scored by a debutant for India, whose long-suffering football fans have never seen their country reach the World Cup.

The Hindu newspaper called it "the brightest moment yet in a season of gloom for Indian football".

Williams, who made one appearance for the senior Australia team and has represented the Socceroos at youth level, called it "a dream".

"You couldn't write it, (debut) in Kerala, the home of football," the attacker and India's new hero said in a video released by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

"It hasn't fully sunk in yet. We will spend a couple of days enjoying it."

Williams is a youth product of Championship strugglers Portsmouth and has played at various clubs clubs in England's football leagues.

He moved to India's top-tier competition, the Indian Super League, with Bengaluru FC in 2023 and has since worked to earn a national call-up while processing his Indian passport.

He got that in November last year, setting the stage for his eagerly anticipated goal-scoring debut.

"All of my mum's family -— which is the Indian side of my family -- are in Perth. That's who I grew up with," he said in an interview with Sportstar.

"So when we went around my nana's (grandmother) house, it was always Indian food and loads of uncles, aunties and cousins everywhere.

"Coming to India and seeing that was kind of like putting two and two together."

Despite the euphoria over Williams's debut India finished bottom of their qualifying group.

The victory over Hong Kong was India's only win in six group games.

The country of 1.4 billion people is a lowly 136th in the FIFA rankings, a spot above Latvia (population 1.9 million).

In the build-up to the match coach Khalid Jamil and several players were locked out of their own stadium after the state association failed to pay a security deposit.

G.AbuGhazaleh--SF-PST