Indian Football Team: India in Hung Thinh Friendly Football Tournament: The Indian Football Team during the current international break held many promises as it competed in an international friendly tournament in Vietnam. It was the team’s first project following the June AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. India arrived in Vietnam after three consecutive victories in the preceding event. Follow Indian Football Team Live Updates on InsideSport.IN
Before leaving for Vietnam, India’s head coach, Igor Stimac, seemed confident that his team would leave an impression and even win the tournament. However, after the tournament concludes, Indian fans are once again disappointed. The team was unable to win a single match and was crushed in the competition’s final match. It drew with Singapore in the first game before falling to Vietnam 3-0 in the second.
Indian Football Team: What went WRONG for the Blue Tigers and Igor Stimac against Vietnam and Singapore? Check Out
Indian Football Team: What went WRONG for the Blue Tigers and Igor Stimac against Vietnam and Singapore? Check Out
Igor Stimac went with a bold approach, dropping defensive veterans Pritam Kotal and Subhashish Bose owing to their poor performances in the ATK Mohun Bagan outfit. However, the decision, which seemed risky at first, went adversely for the Men in Blue as defense became the major concern for them in this campaign.
FULL-TIME! We come to the end of the match as the referee blows his whistle. Not the best day for us, but the boys earned some valuable experience from these friendlies.
🇻🇳 3-0 🇮🇳
📺 https://t.co/NLb4lybUlz#VIEIND ⚔️ #BackTheBlue 💙 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/djhNZweOS5
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 27, 2022
India’s failure in the tournament, especially in the second match, was highlighted by its defense. The match against Vietnam was a nightmare for the team, as they conceded three goals due to entirely preventable errors. India used six different defenders in the two matches. Aside from Sandesh Jhingan, none of the remaining positions had a well-known face in the competition and that puts India’s future in question.
There is also some uncertainty about the full-backs. Furthermore, it is unclear who would pair Jhingan in central defense. As a result, the Indian defense struggled with coordination and consistency in both games, which Vietnam exploited. Stimac must address this issue as soon as possible before departing for the Asian Cup next year.
Indian Football Team: What went WRONG for the Blue Tigers and Igor Stimac against Vietnam and Singapore? Check Out
Although Igor Stimac’s midfield featured a talented group of players, Anirudh Thapa has a wealth of experience. The combination did not work out for some reason. Roshan, Sahal, and Jeakson’s lack of experience weighed heavily on the team as they failed to connect with the final third. Playing Sahal out of position rendered him oblivious to his role and thus unable to contribute to the attack. In both tournament matches, the Indian midfield lacked composure.
The lack of a makeshift defensive midfielder created a gap between the midfield and defense, which Singapore capitalized on. It was clear that the team lacked a proper defensive midfielder who could provide stability. In both games, Jeakson Singh was given this responsibility. He was, however, unable to meet the requirements.
His game had some good moments for the team, but he lacked consistency and composure. In preparation for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup, India must deal with this problem and maintain that the midfield base is in capable hands.
Indian Football Team: What went WRONG for the Blue Tigers and Igor Stimac against Vietnam and Singapore? Check Out
The absence of Lallianzuala Chhangte from India’s playing XI was the most heavily criticized decision made by Igor Stimac. Chhangte was the team’s most productive player, scoring seven goals in the recent Durand Cup. Nonetheless, he did not begin any matches. He barely got 30 minutes in two games.
Strikingly, Udanta Singh started on the right flank against Vietnam. Considering his recent form and ISL performances, many of us would consider his selection over Chhangte to be a misjudgment. During Udanta’s presence, India’s deficit of precision on the right flank was evident. However, the outcome could have been substantially different if Chhangte had been given the go-ahead from the start.
Indian Football Team: What went WRONG for the Blue Tigers and Igor Stimac against Vietnam and Singapore? Check Out
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