Asian Cup: India miss chances galore, go down to hosts UAE
ABU DHABI: A moment of sloppiness in the backline and a number of missed chances cost India dear as the Stephen Constantinecoached side suffered a 2-0 loss to hosts UAE in a Group A clash at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Thursday. Khalfan Mubarak took advantage of a defensive lapse from India in the 41st minute to give UAE the lead before Ali Mabkhout sealed victory with an 88th minute strike. India, who were denied by the goalframe twice, slipped to second in the group following the loss while the hosts climbed to the top spot.
India started the game on the back foot as Constantine’s side tried to cope with UAE’S high line. However, in the matter of a few minutes, they managed to peg back the hosts with an intense game of high-press.
In the seventh minute, Sandesh Jhingan was unmarked inside the box as he found himself at the end of a corner kick. However, the centre back failed to keep his balance and headed wide. Four minutes later, India had another big chance to take the lead as skipper Sunil Chhetri put Ashique Kuruniyan through on goal. The winger’s attempt was met with a brilliant save by UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eisa.
UAE struggled to keep up with India’s pressing. India created another opportunity in the 23rd minute when Anirudh Thapa lobbed the ball into the box towards Chhetri with pinpoint accuracy, only for the latter to head it straight into Eisa.
UAE dropped back a little as things slowed down. Then in the 40th minute, the Indian defence switched off for a moment and UAE pounced on the opportunity. As forward Mabkhout chased a long ball into the Indian half, the centre back pairing of Jhingan and Anas Edathodika didn’t speed up, allowing Mabkhout to overtake them. The UAE forward slipped the ball into the path of Mubarak and the midfielder produced a stunning finish from an acute angle to give his side lead.
Despite the setback, India levelled proceedings almost immediately when Chhetri escaped past the UAE defence and found himself in space to shoot. His grounded shot from the right side of the box agonisingly went wide by inches.
The second half started on a slower note but Jeje Lalpekhlua, who replaced Halicharan Narzary at half-time, came close eight minutes after the restart. After a free kick to India, the ball fell to Jeje on the edge of the box. The Mizo striker chested the ball down before volleying it but his dipping effort went just wide.
Three minutes later, it was the crossbar’s turn to deny India as Udanta Singh, after playing a onetwo with Chhetri, saw his attempt hit the goalframe. A minute later, a Chhetri free kick from a promising position flew just over the bar.
After surviving India’s raids, Alberto Zaccheroni’s side grew into the game after the hour mark. Constantine shored things up by bringing in Rowllin Borges and Jackichand Singh in place of Thapa and Udanta, respectively.
In the 75th minute, the hosts almost doubled the lead when Ismail Al Hammadi’s curling shot from just outside the box took a deflection, hit the post and hit Indian keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu before its way out to a corner.
With three minutes later, UAE finally got their two-goal cushion when Mabkhout took advantage of space in India’s defence and drove past Gurpreet to double the lead. India had a chance to get a goal back deep into injury time when Borges’ free kick from the left found Jhingan inside the box. The defender’s header, however, hit the crossbar, summing up a frustrating evening for India.
THAILAND WIN
Earlier in the day, Thailand defeated Bahrain 1-0 courtesy of a Chanathip Songkrasin strike in the 58th minute. The win saw Thailand, who had lost their opening game to India, climb to third in Group A. In a Group B game, Jordan defeated Syria 2-0 to book their place in the Round of 16. Musa Al-taamari and Tareq Khattab scored for Jordan in the the 26th and 43rd minutes, respectively.