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Tag: Indian football team

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FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Why losing to Afghanistan is a new-low for Indian football

When he scored in the 37th minute, Sunil Chhetri’s face bore no emotion as he trudged back to his half. When India misplaced the most pedestrian of passes minutes later, his face contorted itself into that familiar mix of abject fury – one that only his Indian teammates seem to elicit. When he was substituted in the 67th minute after scoring a penalty in his 150th game for the Indian national football team, his face on the bench turned to one of concern and urgency. And when thirty minutes later, the referee blew the final whistle, the country’s most recognisable footballer buried his face in between his hands, unable to face the reality of what Indian football truly is.It was the 2013 SAFF Cup Final where Afghanistan had last beaten India in an international football match. On Tuesday,...
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WATCH: Players in Delhi Football League match concede dubious-looking own goals to spark match-fixing fears

Match-fixing allegations were levelled at a Delhi Football League match on Monday when Ahbab FC, who were winning the match 4-0, conceded two dubious-looking own goals late in their game against Rangers FC. The match finished 4-2 in favour of Ahbab FC. The incident gained traction on social media after videos of the two goals surfaced online. In the first instance, Ahbab FC players can be seen passing the ball in and around their own half with no pressure or players from Rangers nearby, in the 86th minute of the match. The ‘move’ ended with one of the Ahbab player lobbing the ball back into his own net for a goal, with the keeper standing away from the goal post. https://t.co/wclleyfHfE I tweeted about it in January mid – no one did anything- again I have been proven right – can you...
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AFC Asian Cup: India finish pointless, goalless but coach Igor Stimac says ‘we can compete at this level’

Three games, over 270 minutes of football, six goals conceded, none scored and no points earned – India’s campaign at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup came to an underwhelming end on Tuesday with the team succumbing to a 1-0 loss to Syria at the Al Bayt Stadium in Doha. The final 10 minutes of the game were a sight to behold – eerily similar to how the curtain came crashing down for the men’s football team at the Asian Games. It was a group of 11 chasing, harrying and finally winning the ball, only to have every good idea come to naught with no final ball and an end product. The lack of options when presented with the ball and helplessness at the continental level has been a resounding theme around the two teams Igor Stimac has taken to the two big assignments at the end of 2023 and the beginnin...
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AFC Asian Cup: Goalless and pointless, India eye big improvement against Syria and helpful results elsewhere to boost R16 hopes

If in Australia and Uzbekistan, India found top Asian teams looking to win the biggest football prize in the continent, against Syria, they find kinship in goals moving forward, even though both teams have found goals hard to come by. While Syria have a point from two games thanks to a 0-0 draw against Uzbekistan and can go through to the Round of 16 with a win against India, it’s a lot tougher for Igor Stimac’s team, who have conceded five goals over two games and not scored a single one of their own. The top two teams from each of the six groups go through. With these 12 teams, four of the best third-placed teams will comprise the Round of 16. Even a win against the Syrians can’t guarantee a spot in the last 16 for India, who also must hope a host of results go their way in other grou...
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Uzbekistan show mirror to Indian football in a 3-0 rout in AFC Asian Cup 2024

All it took was three minutes for Uzbekistan to take a pinprick and burst the balloon under which Indian football was operating going into this clash. There was an assumption that the toughest team in their group was well behind them and that it was now time to play football sans fear. Instead, India got an Uzbekistan team that’s easily one of the top 6 teams in Asia, quite markedly better than Australia, and one that scored three goals in the first half itself to quell any hopes that the Southeast Asians had of making this a fight. And that fight disappeared from India rather quickly – a slow looping ball into the edge of the Indian box was not cleared as it should have, a mere three minutes into the game. And even if it wasn’t cleared, Sandesh Jhingan was caught staring at the path o...
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AFC Asian Cup: India’s plan against Uzbekistan: Hold fort, launch sorties

After a resolute Indian defensive display was broken down by the Aussies in their opener of the AFC Asian Cup, coach Igor Stimac will need that same tenacity shown in the first half, in addition to a few attacking inputs from his players, as India takes on Uzbekistan in their second Group B encounter. A loss would mean exiting yet another Asian Cup at the group stages, a draw would leave them at the behest of other results and only a win can keep their hopes of moving onto the Round-of-16 alive. If Australia is a tough team to beat in Asia, Uzbekistan is no different. Ranked 68th in the world, the Uzbeks are age group wizards at the Asian football level, showing their best from the U17-U23 levels and only usually succumb at AFC-level tournaments to the likes of Japan. Their senior natio...
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AFC Asian Cup: Ravaged by injuries, India face World No 25 Australia first up

Facing an Australian team ranked 25th in the world – one that gave Leo Messi hell at the 2022 World Cup and troubled England with their physically monstrous set piece routines – is a daunting task in itself for India. And if that isn’t enough, the Blue Tigers are without four press-resistant players that constituted a well-built spine of the team for the first time in decades. What could have been a showcase of how far Indian football has come in the last one year is now set to be reduced to an act of mere survival at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan on Saturday as both teams begin their Asian Cup 2023 campaign.It is remarkable how things have gone against India in the build-up to this tournament. Coach Igor Stimac pleaded for more time with the team but instead got a grand total of 1...
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Pause, rewind, play: From Pat Cummins silencing Motera to Sheetal Devi, the archer without arms, looking back at 2023’s newsmakers

For some of India’s top stars, 2023 was the year when they had to pause, reflect and reboot. In some cases, to recover from injuries; in a few others, to rediscover lost form. All in the hope that when the big day comes, they’ll be ready and recharged for the challenge Silence is golden, the saying goes. It was certainly golden for Pat Cummins and his team when the Aussie captain induced Virat Kohli to play on to his stumps in the World Cup final at the stadium named after the incumbent Indian prime minister. The stadium, with a capacity of 1.3 lakh, was rendered voiceless and even Kohli took an age to come to terms with what had happened. The stands that were raucously cheering every run, even though progress was slow, was suddenly hushed into becoming a library. Make no mistake, the l...
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Igor Stimac: ‘Let’s stop talking about the Asian Cup’; What are we to talk about, coach?

There seems to be a clear disconnect between what India football coach Igor Stimac says and what he does. He claims to say it like it is, but often one is left to wonder if there is a hint of theatrics. Take for example his outburst after India were humbled 3-0 by Qatar in their Preliminary Rd 2 qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. “Knowing that we’re not going to get enough time for the Asian Cup, I don’t consider the Asian Cup such an important tournament for us,” he said. Thank you, Bhubaneswar for all your support tonight 💙 It means a lot. Always. 🇮🇳#INDQAT ⚔️ #FIFAWorldCup 🏆 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/eKrEVX1kib — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 21, 2023 That sentence sent shockwaves through the Indian footballing...
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Coach Igor Stimac’s moves backfire as 0-3 defeat in World Cup qualifier to Qatar ends India’s 15-game unbeaten run at home

It was hard to decipher India’s strategy against defending Asian champions Qatar at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. It was understandable that they wanted to defend against a team ranked 61st in the world, 41 places higher than them.But in a vital FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier, India coach Igor Stimac decided to bench goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, undoubtedly the best player the last two times India faced the 2022 World Cup hosts. Not just that, the Croatian made four changes among the outfield players from the team that stunned Kuwait 1-0 in the opening game of the campaign. The result of those changes was that India lacked coordination, especially when defending. And they were made to pay the price by their much taller, stronger, and in-sync opponents. The final sco...
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Arsene Wenger on how to improve Indian football: Equip players from 5 to 15 with the best possible technical skills

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Monday that India must focus on equipping upcoming players with the best possible technical skills before they turn 15 as a possible means to find their place on the global football map. “What will football be like in 2030? How can we imagine what our needed quality is in 2030? But what is for sure, is where we start with technique,” Wenger said. “Football is a technical sport. We have to equip the players from five to 15 with the best possible capacity to be technically at the top. That means, basically, to make it simple, is to make the ball his friend. The rest can be developed later. And this is absolutely vital.” Wenger cited the example of Japan, where he had been a coach with Nagoya Grampus before his move to Arsenal. “I was in Japan a...
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World Cup qualifiers: Sunil Chhetri-led Indian football team hopes to punch above its weight against Asian Champs Qatar

The last time India grabbed a point from Qatar, the Gulf country created as many as 27 chances, the Indian defenders had to make 36 tackles and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made a stunning 11 saves as India held the Asian champions to a goalless draw. It was four years ago, in the second round of World Cup and Asian Cup joint qualifiers. Much has happened since that game in Doha. A 10-man India lost their ‘home’ tie which had Doha as a centralised venue due to Covid restrictions, and the not-so-small matter of Qatar having hosted and played in a World Cup. As the two teams meet again at the same stage of the qualifiers, this time in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, a lot has changed. India too have gone from strength to strength under coach Igor Stimac, with the 1-0 win away at Kuwait last week a testi...
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Focus on long-term growth as AIFF extends Igor Stimac’s contract by two years

On the back of three tournament triumphs and some stellar performances, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has extended head coach Igor Stimac’s contract by two years, until 2026, with a possibility of giving him a further two years if India make it to the third round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers.India have lost just one match in regulation time in 2023 and climbed into the top 100 of world football. AIFF secretary Shaji Prabhakaran said that with the focus on long-term growth, it was a no-brainer to extend Stimac’s contract. “Over the last 12 months, we have seen many positive results with the men’s national team, as well as with the development teams. After discussions with the Executive Committee (of AIFF), we decided that to ensure long-term growth and consistent development, ...
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Asian Games: India survive odds, ride Sunil Chhetri penalty for Myanmar draw and Round of 16 spot

“I want to say a lot of good things. But it’s been difficult.”Sunil Chhetri tried sounding upbeat but the reality of the situation was too harsh for him to ignore. They haven’t trained even once since landing in Hangzhou last Monday. The players haven’t had proper sleep for a week, some managing a full night’s rest only on Saturday. And there aren’t enough options on the bench – when Chhetri asked to be substituted in the first two games, coach Igor Stimac didn’t have enough players to turn to. “So, this is just me giving you an idea of how preparation isn’t there,” Chhetri said. India’s all-time leading goal scorer’s first-half penalty in the 1-1 draw against Myanmar ensured that the hurriedly-assembled, ragtag bunch of players that reached Hangzhou less than 24 hours before their Asia...
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Asian Games 2023 Live Updates: Rowers Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh, women’s rifle shooting team claim silvers

Mihir Vasavda at Asian Games: ‘Sick man of East Asia’? From Bruce Lee to Chinese athletes, Hangzhou 2023 to deliver political and sporting answers Hangzhou 2022 - Opening Ceremony - Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium, Hangzhou, China - September 23, 2023 The China flag is being hoisted at the Opening Ceremony. (REUTERS) In this ancient city where dynasties have ruled and bitten the dust, where modern-day empires have risen and continue to rise, it doesn’t take much for old wounds to resurface. Unabashedly displayed here in abundance is Chinese ingenuity and resilience, with the lens firmly focused on the sports fields. And its roots can be traced to a century-old taunt. “China was mocked as the sick man of East Asia,” says Fan Hong, the co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of Sport...
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Asian Games 2023: Under-prepared Indian football team loses 1-5 to China | undefined News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In a challenging opening group league match of the Asian Games football competition in Hangzhou, a severely fatigued and under-prepared Indian team faced a harsh reality check as they were outplayed 1-5 by the host nation, China, on Tuesday.China's Giao Tianyi (17th min), Dai Weijun (51st min), Tao Qianglong (72nd and 75th minute), and Hao Fang (90+2) all found the net, while Rahul KP's (45+1 minute) equaliser from an acute angle was a standout moment in the match.Despite being a third-string team, India managed to hold their own during the first 45 minutes, even with Indian custodian Gurmeet Singh Chahal making a valiant save from a spot-kick taken by the rival captain Zhu Chenjie.India now faces the challenge of needing to defeat Bangladesh and Myanmar in their remaining tw...
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Asian Games: Without single training session and proper rest, India face formidable China in men’s football opener

Set to play their opening match without any training session and proper rest after the last-minute announcement of the squad, India will be the clear underdogs against formidable China in their Asian Games group game on Tuesday.India were able to stitch a rag-tag final squad only on Friday and the team left for China on Sunday, leaving no time for the players to even have a training session together. Moreover, two players — defenders Konsam Chinglensana Singh and Lalchungnunga — out of the 22 players picked will join later as their visas were not ready. The Indian contingent’s chef de mission Bhupinder Singh Bajwa has, however, said that the duo will get their ‘express visas’ in a day or two and they will join the team. 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 ✅🗓️ The Indian men’s and women’s teams Group Stage...
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Asian Games 2023: Despite adding Jhingan, Chinglensana, midfield remains a concern for football team

After days of confusion over the composition of the squad and whether the national team coach would accompany it to Hangzhou, the All India Football Federation was able to prise players like Sandesh Jhingan and Chinglensana Singh away from their clubs to make up a customary 22-member squad for the Asian Games. The AIFF was also able to confirm that head coach Igor Stimac would indeed be heading to China with the players after initially being reluctant to go with the hastily-assembled 17-member squad led by Sunil Chhetri that had been announced earlier. The federation also announced that East Bengal attacker Naorem Mahesh Singh will undergo a medical test before any decision to induct him into the squad will be taken. All this has only added to the uncertainty with India’s opening group ...
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Sunil Chhetri to lead makeshift football side to Asian Games as most players selected initially not released by ISL clubs

Indian national team skipper Sunil Chhetri will lead a 17-member squad at the Hangzhou Asian Games with only nine of the 22 players initially requested by coach Igor Stimac released by Indian Super League (ISL) clubs for the event that falls outside the FIFA international window. It is unclear whether Stimac and his coaching staff will be a part of the Asian Games after most of the players he was looking for after a successful SAFF Cup at home will be a part of their respective ISL teams, participating in the domestic league and the Asian Champions League/ AFC Cup tournaments. The Croatian had made it clear earlier that the Asian Games was an important tournament in the lead-up to the World Cup qualifiers and the AFC Asian Cup. When Stimac had initially announced his 22-member squad in ...
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India football Coach Igor Stimac unlikely to travel for Asian Games, second-string team to go

Coach Igor Stimac is unlikely to accompany the Indian football team to the Asian Games next week, where India could be forced to field a weakened team owing to a clash with the Indian Super League (ISL), the country’s top division competition, The Indian Express has learnt. India takes on hosts China at the Hangzhou Games in exactly a week, on September 19. The new season of the ISL kicks off on September 21. As the tussle between the ISL clubs and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) intensifies over the availability of players, uncertainty prevails over the Asiad squad. Under the rules, each country has to field an under-23 squad along with three senior players. Some of India’s finest national team players fall in that age group and were named in the initial squad along with senio...