India vs Syria, AFC U-23 Championship qualifier, As it happened

It was a pleasure covering the game for you. Join us again on Friday as Ind look to turn things around.

This was Souvik Roy Chowdhury. Till then. Goodbye and goodnight.

However, it won't be easy with the hosts Qatar and Turkmenistan in their group.

They next play Qatar on the 21st of July at 10:30 pm

A not so bright so start for India in the U23 AFC Championship Qualifying campaign for India. Hopefully they can turn things around.

And that's it!

The final whistle blows. And both the teams on their knees.

India after giving their all and Syria in prayers.

95' - IND throwing the kitchen sink now but missing badly.

And in the last minutes, Mohamed Srour - the scorer of the first goal is yellow carded for delaying the game before he is substituted.

90+2' - Syria break down the left and Muhtadi with another crack on goal.

Deflected and wide there.

91' - To their credit the Indian boys are not giving this up till the last second.

Into five minutes of added on time.

90' - The answer I am afraid is no.

Nandhakumar drives his laces through it. But that is way off the mark. Flies off target.

89' - IND with a FK in a dangerous area!

Any late dramas?

88' - GOAL!

And that should be the final nail in the coffin.

To the back post and an unmarked Arnaout heads it back across goal and the India net ripples for the second time.

88' - SYR taking their time and understandably so.

87' - Another yellow.

This time it is Jerry.

But was it really? Crunching tackle but he got all ball there.

86' - Good footwork from Nishu Kumar there.

But then gives the ball away as the look to play a risky pass.

85' - IND desperately looking for a goal here. Last few minutes to go.

84' - A couple of players being attended to in the middle as precious seconds go off the clock.

83' - BLOCKED!

Good play in the middle. And that goes out to Poojary on the right who crosses it in. The clearance falls to German whose long ranger is blocked.

82' - IND with a FK and that is floated in but SYR clear.

Sarthak Golui and Robinson Singh in for Lalruatthara and Anirudh Thapa

80' - Srour is down at the moment as another Syrian players landed on him.

79' - Nandhakumar down the left charges and puts a ball in. But that is too easy for the keeper.

78' - Ball in and Kaith makes his first mistake of the game.

Was in no man's land as he came in to clear.

Ball finally goes to Muhtadi but he is flagged offside.

77' - LUCKY!

Lalruatthara is really lucky there not to get a second yellow. He had pulled Muhtadi's shirt.

But the ref lets him go.

76' - Great work from Hitesh to close down the SYR defenders.

But gives away a foul.

75' - IND clear again and look for an outlet through Nikhil Poojary down the right.

But German's ball is overhit.

74' - Beautiful play from the Syrian skipper in the middle to relieve the pressure there just as IND was putting the midfield under some real test.

73' - Jerry with a ball down the line and Hitesh is making a nuisance of himself there.

72' - IND look a little more energised as they look for the equaliser.

72' - IND with a change and Daniel is being brought off and Hitesh Sharma is brought on.

71' - Risky ball to Lalruatthara from Kaith who is forced to come 30 yards out from his line.

The Indian skipper is stretched but he gets the ball deflected and away for a throw in.

70' - IND get the ball back now.

But Manvir on the left can't keep that in.

69' - Game is back on and India with a good interception.

Play it out wide to the right. Poojary to Nishu and then they go further back. And finally lose the ball with a bad pass from German.

68' - Game is stopped as that tackle seems to have hurt the defender there.

67' - IND look to charge forward and Manvir Singh takes the ball into him well and has to race the Syrian defender.

Good header forward but the defender comes back with a great tackle.

66' - Good steal in the middle by Anirudh Thapa. But that's a faulty pass.

64' - AND FINALLLY!

Syria with the goal and this was coming. Great ball to get Srour past Jerry on the right.

He gets there and lobs Vishal Kaith. Salam Ranjan got his foot the ball but that wasn't enough.

63' - MISS!

Another miss. Another sitter. Again Muhtadi.

Great cross from the right and all he had to do was nod that in.

The Indian goal is living a charmed life.

62' - IND try to play their way ut of the back from the left but Jerry and Nandhakumar can't get the job done.

SYR on the attack again.

61' - OFFSIDE!

SYR look to break through the lines but they are flagged off. The 4th time this game.

60' - SYR with their first change.

59' - Another yellow!

Second in as many minutes.

Nishu Kumar this time pulls back his man this time as he looked to break. Cynical and rightfully booked.

58' - The FK is straight at Kaith though. Easily gathered.

58' - Another crunching challenge from Lalruatthara. But not a clean one and that is one too many for the refs liking.

Yellow.

57' - A long ranger from about 30 yards out from Almarmour.

But that is over the bar and Kaith lets it go.

56' - SYR charge down the right but Kaith again gets to the ball first.

55' - Nandhakumar is fouled and IND can get a bit of relief.

54' - FREE HEADER!

At the back post but they can't keep it on target.

54' - Syria coming back into the game and they have a corner.

53' - SHOT!

Comes in from the SYR left. But at Kaith and he makes another save.

52' - Lalruatthara with a heavy tackle and IND again on the back foot.

India vs Syria, AFC U-23 Championship qualifier, As it happened

India 0-2 Syria, Full Time