𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 💙@stimac_igor makes 3️⃣ changes to the #BlueTigers XI for our second #AsianCup2023 game 🐯
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) January 18, 2024
🇮🇳🆚🇺🇿
WATCH 💻 @Sports18 & @JioCinema#INDvUZB ⚔️ #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/PdxN3tCcWR
Igor Stimac started started his preferred 4-3-3 with Gurpreet in goal. Jhingan and Rahul Bheke started at the heart of the defense along with Akash Mishra and Nikhil Poojary. The midfield saw a change, as Anirudh Thapa came in for Deepak Tangri and he started alongside Suresh Singh and Apuia. Upfront, Mahesh replaced Chhangte while Chhetri and Manvir retained their places.
Uzbekistan looked the more livelier side from the get go. More intent, great passing and physically dominant. And their dominance didn't take much time to make an effect. A beautiful cross from the left was met with the head and laid down for an easy goal for Uzbekistan as early as in the fourth minute of the game. A must win game, a huge supporting crowd and a disastrous start. India looked shocked and crestfallen. They didn't know what had stuck them. Uzbekistan were too quick and at times too dominant for them. And it showed once again when Uzbekistan doubled their lead.
17th minute of the game. Rahul Bheke carelessly, almost criminally lost the ball in his own half. This meant Uzbekistan could win the ball back and they attacked. A low cross was met my Akash Mishra whose attempted clearance hit the post. The ball rebounded and was tapped in from close range by Sergeev. 2-0 within the first twenty minutes. Disastrous.
Uzbekistan didn't sit back and attacked again and again. India had only one good chance, that too from a long range effort by Naorem Mahesh. As has been the problem in the recent times, we won the ball back many times, but we couldn't do anything with it. There was no gameplan while attacking.
And Uzbekistan didn't let India off the hook. This time it was Nasrullaev who headed a cross from the right left on to the post, before putting in the rebound. 3-0 in the first half itself. Was there any way back? The coach looked lost for ideas, the players looked tired. Another Asian cup, another group stage exit. India were on the brink. The thirty eight thousand odd fans who had come to support the team desperately wanted to witness a comeback.
We trail by three at the break in Al Rayyan.
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) January 18, 2024
📺 @Sports18 & @JioCinema
💻 https://t.co/0CC3GaBeOI#INDvUZB ⚔️ #AsianCup2023 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/lfgILLqUeT
Next it was chance for Rahul Bheke to come close in the 71st minute. A corner from Brandon was met firmly by Rahul and was directed goal wards, only to be cleared by the Uzbek goalkeeper. India tried and tried again, but three big chances without conversion meant we never got back into the game. Uzbekistan came close as well, hitting the post in injury time. The score line read a comfortable 3-0 win for Uzbekistan, but the Indian team in the second half were a re-ignited and revamped squad. One can only wish they had shown the same passion and commitment in the first half.
We suffer our second defeat at the #AsianCup2023#INDvUZB ⚔️ #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/AGtaOGnvKD
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) January 18, 2024
One might say, India's story at this Asian cup has been a story of missed halves. Against Australia India defended well in the first half, but fumbled in the second. Against Uzbekistan, we were hammered in the first half, but showed some resiliency in the second. Almost all the goals conceded in the two games have come from defensive mistakes. One can only imagine what would have happened if our players could have maintained the same concentration for the whole 90 minutes.
Another hot topic among the Indian fans currently is the form of captain Sunil Chhetri. Sunil has been our captain, leader, legend for a long time now. Our talisman, record goal scorer. But, age eventually catches up to everyone. Even the nature's finest are not spared. One can only wonder, if India had started with a young forward, someone who has the tenacity, the pace and physicality that we lacked so much upfront in the games. India has a few prospects to already think of. Manvir is originally a centre forward. There is David from Mohammedan, there's Gurkirat from Mumbai, there's Kiyan from Mohun Bagan. Even Bidyasagar had been good when he was backed and played regularly in the I League. Maybe, it's the time to move on. Maybe it's the time for a reset. And that includes our goalkeeper too.
Never give up 🐯
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) January 18, 2024
📺 @Sports18 & @JioCinema
💻 https://t.co/0CC3GaBeOI#INDvUZB ⚔️ #AsianCup2023 #BlueTigers 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/2GAwg8xgrO
Gurpreet has been a pillar for India under the post. No Indian fan can ever forget his performance against Qatar in that famous draw away. But, currently he's been too error prone, both for club and country. We never thought we could move away from Subrata Paul, and then we got Gurpreet. A replacement will only be there if we give enough time, and invest enough faith to a youngster.
India needs a reset at every level to be a force to reckon with, at least in Asia. The last game is against Syria on 23rd January. India needs to put everything into the game. Tactically, we have to be attacking from get go. Syria are no pushovers and under estimating them will spell doom for us. We need to be strong defensively and avoid making the careless mistakes. We need to remember, this is not the SAFF Cup, this is the Asian Cup. The levels are not the same. The stakes are not the same.
#BlueTigers 🐯 go down to Uzbekistan in #AsianCup2023 battle
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) January 18, 2024
Match Report 👉🏼 https://t.co/osHtXC0e9X#INDvUZB ⚔️ #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/khFbUvStSc
Enough already with the "time and progress" agenda. Give the results the fans want, or just get away from this team. Indian Football existed before and it will be fine after. Take note of this, dear Indian football fans.
MBFT MATCH RATINGS
India 🇮🇳 0-3 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | Match Highlights | #AsianCup2023 🏆#INDvUZB ⚔️ #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/aWPQ1yQlh1
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) January 19, 2024