Indian football team played Manvir Singh (left) as the lone striker up front. He, however, was ineffective, missing target on most occasions. Get highlights and analysis of the India vs Bangladesh match below.
It seems no one told Bangladesh that the Indian football team are the favourites in their FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on October 15. The visitors held India to a 1-1 draw after taking the lead in the first half and keeping it till the dying minutes of the match. Adil Khan, with a header in the 88th minute, saved the blushes for Igor Stimac, who went into the match as heavy favourites. Bangladesh went into half time with a 1-0 lead thanks to a strike from Saad Uddin in the 42nd minute. India were ranging between awful and clueless for most of the first half. Not quite sure what coach Stimac’s game plan was, but pretty sure it couldn’t have been this. The team have lacked ideas in the middle, punting long balls into hopeful areas. Though they played considerably better in the second half, India didn’t manage to open up the resolute Bangla defence, till Adil’s strike. (Get highlights and analysis of the India vs Bangladesh match below.)
11' India try to be cute, and get another corner. Again they try a routine. Chhetri plays it to Mandar, who floats one in. Bheke rises highest at the far post and plays it down, but before an attacker can get to it, Bangladesh clear!
13’ India are playing a lot of long hopeful balls forward. Manvir is good for that, but its being directed mostly to Chhetri or Udanta.
14’ Off a Bangladesh corner, Yeasin Khan has a shot at goal. It isn’t much of a shot. It was rising and goes out of the ground.
17’ India have a corner, courtesy Udanta and some gentle trickery. Thapa delivers, and the ball falls near the penalty spot, Bheke rises but heads over.
21’ Nothing to report. India are pinging it about. We are going to freshen this up by continuing with our, players who have scored for two countries. Here’s another: Luis Monti. Monti lost the 1930 World Cup playing for Argentina. He won it four years later as an Italy international. Good score Luis!
24’ Saad Uddin fouled Chhetri near the halfway line. India have a chance to build again. As they have been trying for a while now. Bangladesh’s two blocks of four are….
25’ Oh wait!! India have a freekick right outside the box! Manvir brought down. This fairly central, about 35 yards out. Thapa on it. He plays it short to Sahal, who one-times it to a gap where he expected Chhetri to be… but Chhetri was crowded out by the entire Bangla defence. Too bad.
27’ Sahal frees up Udanta on the right, whose final delivery is….. Well there are people who hold this against him. His crossing ability is nowhere near his running ability. Let's leave it at that.
28’ Corner India. Sahal again finds Udanta who tries to cut it back for Manvir. Yeasin slides and clears. Thapa delivers short to the top of the box, Sahal plays Udanta/Thapa in, and Thapa is fouled. Freekick on the right.
30’ Thapa whips it in, and yeasin clears it for an India corner. Yeasin by the way has a bandage on his head, which has opened up. All that heading didn’t help. Thapa delivers, but nothing comes off it.
32’ Biplo forces Gurpreet into a save!! Adil again the man at fault, trying to be cheeky when safe is a better option. He loses the ball and biplo is off, he shoots from an acute angle, and Gurpreet goes down to save. Bangladesh have had the better chances.
34’ For all of Delap’s long throwing, Bheke almost sets one up for Manvir. Although Manvir probably did more than half the work there. Tipped over by Ashraful. Corner, for India. On the corner, Chhetri was somewhat wrestled to the ground, but no penalty says the referee.
36’ Anas picks up a yellow. Welcome back big man. Comical foul, where he just went into Yeasin with his knees.
38’ An insulted Rayhan throws one in from about half a mile away, but it's headed wide. How does he generate this power? He isn’t even built like Delap and the lot!! He’s skinny!!
39’ Anas lofts a hopeful ball into the box, and Chhetri makes the most of it. He’s about 15 yards out and hits the target. Which is more than was expected in the situation.
40’ Another Rayhan Hasan monster throw. Goes out harmlessly on the other side of the pitch. If it sounds absurd, believe us, it looks even madder!
42’ Bangladesh score!!! After a high, the low!! From a freekick on the left, the ball is delivered to the far post, but in a fairly harmless area. Gurpreet comes out, cant get to it and Saad Uddin heads it into an empty net. Now India have to trudge back to an equaliser. If half time doesn’t come sooner.
44’ A host of mistakes there. Bheke’s needlessly conceded foul the first. But Gurpreet had a shocker there. In the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia, the Indian junior hockey team conceded a similar goal against Japan today. Long ball, goalkeeper at odds. Striker taps it in.
And there you have it. Bangladesh 1. India Nil. How ‘bout that? Football eh? Strange old game this.
India were swinging between awful and clueless for most of the first half. Not quite sure what Stimac’s game plan was, but pretty sure it couldn’t have been this. The team have lacked ideas in the middle, punting long balls into hopeful areas. Ashique and Udanta have been left out of the game for the most part (Ashique more than anyone else), and Chhetri has been forced deeper and deeper to try and get the ball. At the back, disaster has been the keyword. Almost right from the start, Bheke has been running out of position and Adil has committed a couple of glaring errors which he got away with. Gurpreet didn’t. It will be only fair to point the fingers at the big man for the goal conceded, but Bheke had no reason to concede the freekick. India have it all to do. Stimac will be pulling out the whip at half time. He needs to.
1) every time the host broadcaster's commentary team say "let's be honest,'' our office erupts in a fit of (canned) uproarious laughter. 2) Then we realise their halftime show is a not so subtle FU. Perhaps directed at us. 3) I'm wondering if the gods of Indian football (Fathers in Support of Destroying Leagues) will permit an ISL XI vs Rest of India game. I've got a head coach, an assistant coach, a 'keeping coach and a kit man (self) all lined up. #throwingdownthegauntlet
-- Siddhanth Aney
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