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India pay the penalty
India against UAE
UAE 3 (Hamdan Al Kamali – 21st; Mohamed Al Shhehi – 29th; Ismail Al Hammadi – 80th)
beat
India 0
The match finished even before it started. India conceded two penalties within a span of three minutes – the first in the 21st minute and the next in 24th minute to lose the momentum early against United Arab Emirates in the World Cup Qualifier, something which they found impossible to recover from. What was worse, the two fouls saw the red-card being flashed twice in the span of three minutes.
First Debabrata Roy was red-carded for pushing Mohammed Al Shhehi — Hamdan Al Kamali converting from the spot in the 21stminute; and then Subrata Pal was red-carded for an infringement on Ismail Al Hammadi in the 24th minute– Mohamed Al Shehhi gleefully scoring from the spot.
UAE didn’t look back from there as they consolidated onto the early lead to beat India 3-0 at the Sheikh Khlaifa Bin Zayed Stadium. Ismail Al Hammadi completed the rout in the 80th minute.
Down to nine-men, Team India had little options but to defend. Coach Armando Colaco, quite helpless, replaced Steven Dias with goalkeeper Karanjit Singh; Sunil Chhetri fell back in an effort to crowd the midfield with Jeje staying upfront, almost a spectator all throughout.
Click Here for Complete Results of Asia 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier – Second Round, First Leg
The start, nevertheless, was promising. India earned two consecutive corners in the 5th minute and rival goalkeeper Ali Khaseif even missed the flight of Steven Dias’ second corner. The midfield wasn’t allowing much space to the rivals and Gourmangi Singh and Raju Gaikwad looked composed in defence.
The Indians need to be credited for not allowing UAE to run away with the match in the first half. With India down to nine-men by the 24th minute, UAE intended to pump in as many as possible. But it wasn’t to be. Armando may have badly wanted an away-goal but it rarely happens when a team is reduced to nine-men as early as 24th minute. The second-leg is slated to be played at the Amedkar Stadium in New Delhi on July 28.
India: Subrata Pal; Samir Naik, Gouramangi Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Debabrata Roy; Steven Dias (Karanjit Singh), Mehtab Hossain (Jewel Raja Sheikh), Climax Lawrence, Syed Rahim Nabi; Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sunil Chhetri (Lalrindika Ralte).
