'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
India were thrashed 5-2 by North Korea in TransStadia, Ahmedabad in front of a tightly packed crowd. It was a deplorable performance in the first half as the Indian defence were quite vulnerable. This was followed by a proactive second half of the game with India scoring twice with quick counter-attacks. Since India were chasing the game from the very beginning, it gave Korea much more room on the field which helped them extend the lead by three goals again.
Igor Stimac's side was left with a bolt out of the blue - conceding three goals in the first 30 minutes of the game. Skipper Jong II-Gwan, who opened the scoring in the eighth minute, scored another one before the half-hour mark. In between the two goals, Sim Hyon-Jin scored one in the 16th minute.
With a completely different mentality in the second half, the Blue Tigers were able to cut the deficit through Lallianzuala Chhangte six minutes after into the half. Since India were pushing for another goal to revert pressure on the visitors, North Korea broke through with a swift counter-attack and Ri Un-Chol helped them regain their three-goal lead. Sunil Chhetri guided the ball from close range in the 71st minute, before Ri Hyong-Jin scored another one before the full-time whistle.
Let us have a look at how the Indian team performed against North Korea on an individual basis.
Amrinder Singh (4/10): Igor Stimac gave a chance to Amrinder Singh, but the shot-stopper failed to convince the manager as he was at fault for the first and third goal. The goalkeeper was wrong-footed for the first goal, whereas he failed to cover his near post for the third goal. Amrinder made a good save seconds before the half-time whistle, but his overall performance was dismal.
Pritam Kotal (5/10): Korea's attack exploited the left-wing which disrupted the performance of Pritam Kotal. The right-back struggled for pace and was not able to track back when required. Kotal, who looked solid in the second half, was subbed off for Rahul Bheke.
Sandesh Jhingan (3.5/10): Make no mistake, Sandesh Jhingan looked disappointing from minute one. He got dragged front by the striker and failed to mark Sim, who ran past him to score the second goal of the night. He looked entirely shaky before winding up his game in the first half, owing to the hamstring injury.
Subhasish Bose (5/10): Subhasish Bose was part of the sinking ship in the first half which leaked three goals. He partnered Sandesh Jhingan at the back and it was a failed plan for Stimac. He was guilty of committing himself unnecessarily for the third goal. He looked alright for the rest of the game.
Jerry Lalrinzuala (5/10): The young Jerry Lalrinzuala was handed the chance to play in his primary left-back position. He misplaced many passes and didn't look too convincing while attacking either. His link up with Chhangte, though, looked good in the early stages of the second half.
Rowlin Borges (5.5/10): Rowlin Borges was used as the defensive midfielder in this game. He looked shaky as Korea ran past him easily in the first half. The midfielder failed to track back for the third goal leaving a huge hole in the backline. However, he stepped his game up in the second half.
Amarjit Singh (6/10): Amarjit Singh gave away possession and free-kicks plenty of times in the first half. In fact, his foul outside the box contributed to Korea's first goal. Similar to Rowlin, the young midfielder looked lively until the end in the second half and enjoyed spraying though balls to Udanta Singh and Lallianzuala Chhangte.
Manvir Singh (4.5/10): Manvir Singh had plenty of possession when compared to other forwards in the first half. But the young forward failed to supply others or hold up the ball to increase the output in the first half. At times, Manvir himself ran into traffic and caused turmoil.
Brandon Fernandes (5/10): Brandon Fernandes did not have much effect on the game, but he produced an extraordinary delivery which found Sunil Chhetri inside the box but the skipper failed to convert it into a goal to score the equalizer. Unlike Manvir, he dropped back to receive and carry balls higher up the pitch.
Sunil Chhetri (8/10): Sunil Chhetri looked excellent throughout the game. The Skipper looked like he was on a different wavelength compared to others and made things happen with his nimble feet. Chhetri proved his clinical nature in front of the goal with a poacher's goal. He used his knee to divert the ball into the back of the net. His overall play was scintillating, to say the least.
Jobby Justin (6/10): Jobby Justin got his first-ever start for the Blue Tigers but he didn't have a massive impact on the game. He tried to hold up the ball for Chhetri but was surrounded by a lot of North Korean players. Igor Stimac had to take him off in the second half as the long-ball tactic didn't produce the expected result.
SUBSTITUTES
Adil Khan (6.5/10): Adil Khan replaced Sandesh Jhingan in the first half. The centre-back organized the whole defence and pushed the midfielders & forwards higher up the pitch. He made some good interventions and tackles. Two goals scored in the second half was against the run of play.
Lallianzuala Chhangte (7/10): Lallianzuala Chhangte replaced Brandon Fernandes through the left flank. He stretched the defence with his breakneck pace and broke the deadlock in the early stages for the second half. He looked lively and had plenty of possession causing total disruption through the right side of Korea's defence.
Udanta Singh (7/10): When the game was crying out for pace, the introduction of Udanta Singh and Lallianzuala Chhangte changed the game. The right winger linked well with Anirudh Thapa and Sunil Chhetri to make plenty of runs behind Korea's defence. His ferocious shot from outside the box was just over the crossbar.
Anirudh Thapa (6.5/10): Without Anirudh Thapa, India's midfield has always been short of creativity. He linked the midfield and attacking department with his lung-bursting runs and feed the forwards.
Rahul Bheke, Sahal Abdul Samadh (N/A): Both players came on at the 70th-minute mark of the game, but they did have much to do for the rest of the game.
