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The Indian National Football Team succumbed to a 0-2 loss in their AFC Asian Cup opener to Australia at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium in Qatar on Saturday. Second half goals from Jackson Irvine and substitute Jordan Bos ensured a comfortable victory for the Socceroos.
Igor Stimac's men put up a brave performance in the first half to restrict the 2015 Champions to a goalless scoreline.
Sandesh Jhingan in particular shined for India, leading the backline with dogged grit and commitment in the final third. However, the Blue Tigers could not keep the mighty Australia at bay in the second half.
India will have to pick up points in the subsequent games against Uzbekistan and Syria to improve their chances for a Round of 16 spot.
Here are three things India could have done better in their match vs Australia.
#1 Better distribution of the ball
While it isn't easy for a team ranked 102nd to take the game to Asian heavyweights and 25th ranked Australia, India could have done more with the ball.
The Blue Tigers have played some scintillating possession based football of late, especially in 2023. However, we did not glimpse any of that against the Socceroos.
Passes were mostly restricted from the centre backs to the fullbacks or the goalkeeper. Playing Deepak Tangri as the holding midfielder reduced chances of playing the ball around from the middle of the park. Most of the long balls were also won by the physically superior Aussies.
Better distribution of the ball around the pitch would have reduced Australia's constant pressure on the Indian defense, allowing the Blue Tigers to emerge out of their low block.
#2 Capitalizing on their chances
Whenever a team like India takes on a high ranked side, we know that clear-cut chances will be very few. India produced just one, courtesy of a valiant diving header by skipper Sunil Chhetri.
Nikhil Poojary did brilliantly in the 16th minute to take the ball to the byline and crossed into the box from the right flank. Chhetri made his way past two Aussie defenders to meet the ball beautifully, but his header went wide off the far post.
The closest India went after that was with a long range attempt by Suresh Singh Wangjam in the first minute of additional time in the first half which was tame and easily collected by Matt Ryan.
It is crucial for India to take their chances in the final third, if we are to win any of the remaining two games in the Asian Cup group stage.
#3 Better timed substitutions
It soon became clear that the Indian players were losing their stamina after relentlessly defenending in the first half. It became very integral to make changes at the right time in the second half if we were to take a point from the game.
Australia made four changes between the 63rd and 72nd minute, and suddenly Australia poured pressure on the Indian backline with renewed vigour. It culminated in the second goal scored by substitute Jordan Bos against an exhausted Indian defence in the 73rd minute.
By the time Stimac introduced fresh legs from the 74th minute, the match result was already decided. Although India looked marginally better after the changes, it wasn't enough to turn the tide of attacks to the assured Aussie backline.
