Highlights - India Go Down to Oman in FIFA World Cup Qualifying Campaign Opener

52’ What India are doing very well is that they are dragging Oman wide, by cramping them for space in the centre.

53’ Some terrible refereeing there as Chhetri, who had done brilliantly winning the ball is penalised for handball. There were a few inches between his hand and thigh there.

53’ Close call! Oman whip in a cross from the right that comes to Anirudh Thapa just outside the six yard box. He slices the clearance and gives Gurpreet a challenging save to make in the India goal. But Gurpreet is alert and the resultant corner isn’t a particularly good one.

55’ Another save by Gurpreet. Again a long cross sees an Iman striker free in the centre. Again the header is a bit soft, and again Gurpreet grabs it with both hands.

56’ Brandon wins a foul in the centre of the pitch. The Indians are getting a little tired and Oman catch them out on the counter. Thankfully though, Al Alawi runs offside (he doesn´t really) and India escape. If that pass hadn’t been flagged off Al Alaawi was through on goal.

58’ Al Mukhaini is released down the right and has enough time and space to find a good cross. He doesn’t. He fires it low and straight at Gurpreet, who gathers.

60’ Yellow card for Borges. Late tackle. And a substitution. Brandon Fernades goes off and Lallianzuala Chhangte comes on.

61’ India are pressing hard, but when they do win the ball, their passing is letting them down.

63’ Oman’s Al Mukhaini has a pot shot from 40 yards out. It is a similar position to what Dalima Chhibber scored from a few months ago. The difference being, hers was a goal.

64’ Old Rowllin has resurfaced. He gathers the ball in a great position, with action to his left and right. He shoots, about a mile high. And promptly apologises to everyone.

66’ Oman have taken some of the worst corners in professional football today. They’ve had six, and each of them have been floated into nowhere.

67’ Another good save by Gurpreet, but the attempt was flagged offside anyway. Al Alawi again, drifts half a yard offside.

67’ Very harsh yellow card for Sandesh Jhingan. Looked as though he was just clearing the ball from a potentially dangerous position because the whistle for offside came late. But the ref didn’t think so, saw it as time wasting after the whistle had gone.

69’ India are panicking in defence. Adil makes a hash of a clearance, then makes a mess of it again. Before shouldering the attacker away and finally get rid of the ball. All of this in the box mind.

While things slow down a little the blog squad are sharing duck tales. Vaibhav has one of a 90-year-old lady from Abhayapuri who came to the local Bihu fair, drank a little rice beer, ate a great meal of duck, watched the football finals and, peacefully, died in her sleep that night. What a way to go. 

74’ Another big save from Gurpreet. Oman’s striker drifts in from the right, into the box and fires with his left foot. Gurpreet gets low and parries Bheke does the rest. That was some tired defending from Thapa, who was was too slow on the turn.

78’ Ashique comes off. And he gets a huge hug from his manager. He may not have scored, or provided an assist, but he has been tremendous tonight. He is replaced by Manvir Singh.

80’ Ten minutes to go. Start counting your chickens guys. Oman are passing it around, but not doing much with it.

82’ Ugh. Oman score. Al Alawi gets his reward for running so hard. And he gets it out of nothing. A speculative ball is played out from the back, and Al Alawi shakes loose and runs away from Bheke, who is wrong sided with no hope to do anything to defend this. Gurpreet is slow off his line and Al Alawi slots it in. Oman are level and India are tired.

83’ India created a super chance to get right back in the lead. Chhetri, inevitably, on the end of a nice little ball through the middle, shows great awareness to pull it back for Manvir who was unmarked in the box. Manvir then did the right thing in playing it across goal, perfectly placed for Chhangte on the left to tap it in. But Chhangte was a yard or so out of position and the ball ball goes out for a goal kick.