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India travelled to Bishkek to face Kyrgyz Republic in their penultimate group stage game of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifiers in UAE.
The game was important for both the sides despite both the teams qualifying for the main event even before kickoff.
A win would have meant better FIFA Rankings for both the teams and that in turn would have helped them in the seedings for the Group stage of the main event in UAE.
India started the game without the services of their mercurial captain Sunil Chhetri who was suspended for the tie.
They also were without the likes of Eugenson Lyngdoh, Pritam Kotal, Seityasen Singh, and Jackichand Singh.
Kyrgyz Republic welcomed back their regular goalkeeper Matiash Pavel who missed the last game against Myanmar.
Krestinin also fielded midfielder Musabekov Farkhat in-place of regular starter Sydykov Aziz.
The game started on a bright note for Kyrgyz Republic who went ahead in the third minute through an Anton strike and from there on controlled the game fully.
India failed to put together three proper passes together.
The second half had more of the same story in store as the White Falcons steamrolled past the Blue Tigers.
Murzaev Mirlan doubled the lead for Kyrgyz Republic, to make it 2-0. Jeje pulled one back for India in the dying moments of the game.
The game ended India’s 13-game unbeaten run as the final scoreboard read 2-1 in favour of the hosts.
On that note we take a look at the player ratings of today’s game
Kyrgyz Republic
Matiash Pavel (6.5/10): Matish Pavel didn’t have much to do in the game as most of the game was played in the opposition half.
He did though to pull off two good saves to deny the likes of Rowlin and Jeje.
Sheratov Kursanbek (7.5/10): Kursanbek was brilliant in the first half. He completely owned Udanta and didn’t let him run past him.
Kursanbek also overlapped very often and kept Ruatthara busy. He was very calm and composed in keeping a check on Udanta. He also didn’t let the Manipuri winger get in his crosses.
Baimatov Azamat (7/10): The white falcon's skipper was lucky to be shown only a yellow card when he handled the ball deliberately to stop Jeje moving into a clear-cut goalscoring position.
Duishobekov Baktyiar (8/10): Baktyiar made some crucial tackles and also made some good last-ditch clearances.
He also had a big physical presence and stopped most of India’s crosses and long balls. Baktyiar provided a beautiful assist for Murzaev for the second goal.
Otkeev Avazbek (7.5/10): Avazbek was really good in the first half. He had a big role to play in the opening goal by winning the ball and releasing Kairat.
He also kept Halicharan quiet and ran down the wings a lot.
Edgar Bernhardt (8/10): The German-born midfielder was in the thick of things right from the word go.
He sat in front of the defenders and controlled play with his wide range of passing. His set-pieces were also very good.
Uulu Kairat (7/10): Ran past Narayan Das with ease in the very first minute of the game, and put in a beautiful cross to Anton who scored the opener.
He was a menace for India down the flanks.
Shamshiev Islam (8/10): Islam troubled the likes of Anas with his movement and touches. He caught the defence napping with his dummy movements and sly movement.
Islam also provided some delicious passes to his forwards.
Zemlianukhin Anton (8.5/10): Anton scored with probably his first touch of the game as he toe-poked in a Kairat cross past Gurpreet.
Anton was the man mainly controlled the game along with Edgar, he kept changing his position also very well.
Musabekov Farkhat (7/10): Farkhat was the main reason Kyrgyz won a lot of 2nd balls in the midfield and also won most of the loose balls, he supported the likes of Edgar and Islam very well in the central midfield.
Murzaev Mirlan (7.5/10): Murzaev physically challenged the likes of Anas and Sandesh often.
He got a good chance from an Anton pass but failed to convert. He clinically finished off a Baktyiar pass from close range to make it 2-0 for the white falcons.
Substitutes
Sidorenko Pavel (6.5/10): Pavel could have scored with his first touch of the game when he received a pass from Anton but skied his attempt. His passing was also very good today.
Bekzhan Sagynbaev (N/A): Sagynbaev replaced the talismanic Anton and did well to keep the Indian defenders under pressure even in the dying moments of the game.
Tamirlan Kozubaev (6/10): Came on late into the game and didn't have much to do. But Kozubaev could have done better during the play from which India scored.
India
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (7.5/10): He made some good saves by coming out of his line. He couldn’t do much during the goal India conceded.
His long free kicks though were mostly aimless and gifted possession back to Kyrgyz Republic. Sandhu made an absolutely stunning save from a Murzaev shot.
Had Sandhu not pulled off some stunning saves the scoreline would have been much bigger in favour of Kyrgyz Republic.
Lalruatthara (6/10): Lalruatthara who was making his debut looked to be taken by the occasion in the initial few minutes.
He grew in stature as the game progressed. He had the job of keeping Anton in check who was probably the best Kyrgyz player.
Lalruatthara though didn’t overlap much and couldn’t get put in crosses into the box.
Sandesh Jhingan (4.5/10): Jhingan had a big physical presence, but he had problems while covering his man.
He let the likes of Murzaev get past him quite easily. His tackles were also not very effective. He was beaten in the air also often during set pieces.
He failed to clear the ball which led to the White Falcons scoring the second goal.
Anas Edathodika (5/10): Anas was all over the place in the first few minutes. He looked shaky and out of place almost always.
Lack of game time during the league season showed in his game. He did though get his feet sorted and looked to be solid as the game progressed.
He made some good clearances and tackles in the later part of the game.
Narayan Das (4/10): Narayan Das had a game to forget.
He let Kairat get past him with ease in the very first minute. His covering was really poor and often gave away possession to Kyrgyz Republic.
Rowlin Borges (5.5/10): Rowlin Borges rattled the woodwork with a free kick in the 18th minute and could have scored the equaliser.
He looked to control the game but failed miserably. He was more often than not inside his own half trying to gain control of the ball.
He did have one good shot at goal in the second half but it was fisted away by the keeper.
Md. Rafique (5/10): Rafique was another player who had a game to forget, as he failed to do anything meaningful with the ball.
He was often seen on all fours trying to keep a check on Shamsiev and Anton.
Halicharan Narzary (6/10): Halicharan Nazary was a shadow in the field today, as he was rarely seen in the game.
He did track back at times to help out Narayan and Jerry but was very poor while going forward.
He made a lot of unforced errors and he couldn’t provide the support required to the forwards.
Nazary though did put in a good cross in the dying moments of the game which Jeje converted to get one back for India.
Udanta Singh (5/10): Udanta was way below par today, and couldn’t produce anything down the flanks today.
He didn’t track back properly and help out Ruatthara in defence. Udanta did have a good chance in the second half to put in a good cross or shot, but he only managed to put the ball into the keeper's hands.
Balwant Singh (5.5/10): Balwant scored off a Borges rebound but the goal was denied as the Punjabi striker had ventured offside.
Balwant, other than scoring two offside goals, didn't have much to do in the game today. His hold up and link up play was poor today.
Jeje Lalpekhlua (6.5/10): Scored with a good header in the dying minutes of the game to get one goal back for India.
Jeje though was physically outmuscled for most parts of the game, as he failed to control the long balls and hold up play.
Substitutes
Jerry Lalrinzuala ( 6/10): Jerry brought in some stability to the left-hand side for India in the second half, as he looked much better than Narayan Das.
He could have done better with his crosses though.
Seiminlen Doungel (5.5/10): A debut for the Manipuri Striker, but it wasn't one to remember. He had a good chance to score or play the ball to Jeje but could only find the keepers hands with his feeble attempts. He did track back and help out the defenders a lot though.
Anirudh Thapa (6.5/10): Thapa was like a breath of fresh air for the Indian Midfield as it was after his inclusion that some good moves started.
It was his pass to Narzary that opened up the otherwise solid Kyrgyz Defence to help India get one back.
