Indian Football: India goes down fighting 2-0 to UAE in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup

113

The Indian football team went down fighting 2-0 to UAE in the second group stage match of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The Blue Tigers were unlucky not to score a goal as Udanta Singh and Sandesh Jhingan’s shot in the second half hit the woodwork.

Anirudh Thapa tussles with Ismael Al Hammadi for a ball
Anirudh Thapa tussles with Ismael Al Hammadi for a ball

India started the game on a positive note and could have taken the lead in the 11th minute itself when Sunil Chhetri sent Ashique through on goal. However, the rival goalkeeper made a point-blank save to tip the ball over the crossbar. The goalkeeper made another terrific save twelve minutes later when he blocked Sunil Chhetri’s header from inside the six-yard box.

The UAE forwards repaid the goalkeepers’ good deeds in the 40th minute as Ali Mabkhout sent Khalfan Mubarak through on goal. Despite the angle being tight, he made no error in finding the back of the net.

India continued to push bodies forward but that left pockets of space open in the back and UAE punished them for it. Ali Mabkhout found himself in a one-on-one situation after going past Pritam Kotal to double the lead in the 88th minute.

Sandesh Jhingan did hit the woodwork in the dying embers of the game but that was how close India came to score a consolation. The final scoreline read 2-0 in the favor of hosts who now are on the top of the table.