Tajikistan 3-0 India – Third straight international friendly defeat for Wim Koevermans

Indian National Football Team

Tajikistan 3 (Nuriddin Davronov 12, Fatkhuloev Fatkhullo 18, Akhtam Khamrakulov 90+3)India 0

India lineup: Sandip Nandy (Karanjit Singh 43); Nirmal Chhetri, Gouramangi Singh, Arnab Mondal, Raju Gaikwad; Francis Fernandes, Mehtab Hossain (Robin Singh 77), Lenny Rodrigues (Lalrindika Ralte 46), Clifford Miranda (Shylo Malswamtluanga 68); Jewel Raja (Arata Izumi 46), Sunil Chhetri (Dawson Fernandes 68).

India went down 3-0 against Tajikistan at the 20 years of Independence Stadium in Khujand, Tajikistan on Wednesday to suffer their six straight international friendly defeat and third consecutive under Dutch head coach Wim Koevermans.

Hosts Tajikistan raced into a two-goal lead after 18 minutes thanks to strikes from Nuriddin Davronov and Fatkhuloev Fatkhullo and India couldn’t find a way back into the game despite a number of substitutions from Koevermans in the second period.

Tajikistan forward Akhtam Khamrakulov added a third in the third minute of second half stoppage time to complete the rout.

This was India’s first international game after five monthes and Koevermans handed Arnab Mondal his debut in central defence alongside the experienced Gouramangi Singh. I-League goalkeeper of the year Sandip Nandy also got a start ahead of Karanjit Singh with Subrata Pal not in the squad.

The rest of the team was similar to the one that usually started during the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers back in March with Dempo midfielder Jewel Raja operating just behind lone striker and captain Sunil Chhetri in a 4-4-1-1 system.

Tajikistan were backed by a crowd of around 10000 and their players were eager to impress new coach Mukhsin Mukhamadiev. Although the Central Asians didn’t name any foreign-based players in their initial squad, attacking midfielder Nuriddin Davronov, who last played for a Serbian team and is now without a club, started and opened the scoring.

The goal came after some great work by Fatkhullo on the left flank as his teasing cross was slotted home easily by an unmarked Davronov.

Six minutes later, Fatkhullo doubled the advantage with a delightful freekick past Nandy. The freekick was awarded after a foul by Nirmal Chettri on the dangerous Vasiev Dilshod and Fatkhullo showed his quality by beating Nandy from just outside the box to register his second international goal against India.

India didn’t have the best of responses as their only meaningful chance of the first half came from a Raju Gaikwad long throw with Clifford Miranda testing veteran goalkeeper Alisher Tuychiev.

Tajikistan were happy to slow the game down and protect the two-goal advantage while India also suffered a blow before the interval as Nandy came off with an injury and was replaced by Karanjit.

Koevermans introduced Japanese-born Arata Izumi and the highly talented Lalrindika Ralte and the changes did see India retain possession well but they didn’t create too many chances with Miranda going the closest.

Debutants Shylo Malswamtluanga and Dawson Fernandes were brought on midway through the second period with the latter replacing skipper Sunil, who for the third straight international friendly failed to complete 90 minutes.

Dawson produced a smart save off Tuychiev and the 37-year-old custodian also stopped Mehtab Hossain’s long-range effort.

Koevermans opted for two strikers upfront in the closing stages as Robin Singh replaced Mehtab. But instead of managing a consolation goal, India conceded in the dying seconds with the highly-rated Khamrakulov getting on the scoresheet.

This was Tajikistan’s second straight win against India following the 2-0 victory in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup and it ensured a winning start for former Rubin Kazan director of sports Mukhamadiev.

Thus India’s eight-year wait for an away international friendly win continues but they have next month’s SAFF Championship in Nepal to look forward to and will be having a preparatory camp in Bangalore from Friday onwards.

Indian football fans would hope that despite the defeat, the runout in this game helps in the preparation for the SAFF Championship but on a sad note, it’s unlikely that the senior national team will have another away international friendly anytime soon due to AIFF’s financial problems.