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India experienced a heart-wrenching setback in the 2023 King's Cup semifinals on Thursday, as Iraq came from behind twice before prevailing over the Blue Tigers in a penalty shootout.
Naorem Mahesh Singh scored the opening goal in the 17th minute, but India’s joy was shortlived as Iraq capitalized on Sandesh Jhingan’s handball in the penalty box, with Ali Al-Hamadi scoring the equalizer.
After an even first half, India took the lead early in the second half, only to concede yet another penalty, this time with Jhingan allegedly fouling Aymen Hussein in the box. Hussein stepped up and confidently converted the spot-kick to level the score at 2-2.
The match ultimately advanced to a penalty shootout, where Iraq successfully converted all five of their penalties, while Brandon Fernandes missed his spot-kick for India.
But despite the defeat, the Blue Tigers can draw numerous positives, given the quality of their opponents and the absence of several key players, coupled with having just one training session before the match. So on that note, let’s take a look at the three positives from India’s defeat to Iraq.
#1 India can perform without Sunil Chhetri
Sunil Chhetri's absence and India's approach to it became the focal point of discussion leading up to the tournament. Alongside the skipper's unavailability, Lallianzuala Chhangte was also sidelined due to an injury.
Nevertheless, the Blue Tigers showed remarkable resilience in the absence of these key players, underlining the depth of their squad. Manvir Singh, stepping in for Chhetri, delivered an impressive performance, while Naorem Mahesh Singh consistently posed a threat whenever he had the ball.
Furthermore, India's fluidity in their possession was evident, with the front three and Sahal constantly interchanging positions.
In fact, this fluidity played a pivotal role in their first goal, as Mahesh Singh and Manvir rotated their positions before the former made an excellent run and ultimately found the net. This performance showed India's reduced reliance on individual players, something that was missing in the previous years.
#2 Matching Iraq in both physical and technical ability
Iraq were India’s toughest test this year, given their 70th position in the FIFA rankings. Moreover, their recent victory in the Arabian Gulf Cup, where they overcame teams like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman, heightened the level of their test.
Historically, the Blue Tigers have encountered difficulties both in terms of physicality and technical ability when facing teams of Iraq's caliber.
However, this time, they matched Iraq not only in terms of energy but, more importantly, in physicality, which bodes well for their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the AFC Asian Cup.
During the first half, India went toe-to-toe with their opponents, and even in the second half, when they adopted a defensive approach, they performed well, with the only goals conceded coming from penalties.
Consequently, this performance serves as a clear indication that the Blue Tigers are prepared to compete against Asia's top teams.
#3 Rise of the youngsters
Sandesh Jhingan, Anirudh Thapa, and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu were the only experienced players in India’s set-up, placing a significant challenge for the youngsters to show their mettle. Remarkably, the up-and-coming generation of the Blue Tigers had no hesitation in showcasing their ability against Iraq.
Starting from the back, Anwar Ali and Akash Mishra were a formidable presence and won several duels against Iraq's physically imposing forwards. Furthermore, they showed composure on the ball, consistently making progressive passes even under pressure.
In midfield, Jeakson Singh and Sahal Abdul Samad displayed their grit and quality, with the latter orchestrating the proceedings and assisting the first goal. Upfront, Naorem Mahesh Singh and Manvir Singh were brilliant both in possession and out of it, with Mahesh Singh scoring his second international goal.
These youngsters certainly do not shy away when faced with challenges, which underlines the strong mentality of both the players and the head coach.
