Home advantage evaded India as they played a goalless game against a better-prepared Bangladesh in the Group A match of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers final round at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday.
Last week’s win against the Maldives in an international friendly had given hopes of a winning performance from the hosts. But that was not to be.
Lack of ideas, hardly any understanding amongst the players, zero talent — Indian football is struggling to find its feet. In the Fifa rankings, India are 126th while Bangladesh are 185th, the lowest in the group.
Yes, there are injuries to some key players like Lallianzuala Chhangte (winger), Brandon Fernandes (midfielder), Manvir Singh (winger), Anwar Ali and Ashis Rai (both defenders) but the rest did not have the mindset to stand up and be counted.
No wonder coach Manolo Marquez had to make a phone call to Sunil Chhetri to come back from international retirement. On Tuesday, Chhetri did not do much as he was hardly given any space by the Bangladeshi defence and midfielder Hamza Choudhury who was making his debut for the visitors.
Bangladesh had a long camp in preparation for this match — two weeks in Taif, Saudi Arabia, and before that a few days in Bangladesh. They came to the Meghalaya capital four days before the game to get acclimatised.
Hamza had just four training sessions with his teammates but showed that he would get into the scheme of things with time. His timely tackles — once he nullified Liston Colaco with a shoulder push and the latter went sprawling to the ground — and his reading of the situation within a fraction of a second showed his class. It did not take long for the more than 14,000 spectators to recognise that.
Bangladesh’s two central defenders — Tariq Kazi and Shakil Topu — were outstanding. So was Mohammed Ridoy.
The visitors, with a little bit of luck, could have left the pitch with a win. They could have been up by two goals inside 12 minutes. And that’s because India goalkeeper Vishal Kaith, who has been so good for his club Mohun Bagan Super Giant, fumbled on both occasions.
In the very first minute, Kaith developed cold feet and passed the ball to Bangladesh’s Mojibor Jony. Fortunately for India, Jony was a bundle of nerves, probably because he did not expect to get the ball on a platter so early. His feeble attempt, with an empty net staring at him, struck the side netting.
A few minutes later, Kaith bungled again. He gathered the ball from a corner and tried to release for a quick counterattack. He ended up striking an opposition player a few metres in front of him, and the ball came back into the box.
Ridoy pounced on the loose ball and shot it towards the goal. Subhasish Bose was following the ball and produced a spectacular goalline clearance to keep his side in the tie.
“I am very angry and disappointed with the performance of the team. May be this is the reality of Indian football. The only positive was we did not concede despite Bangladesh creating chances,” a candid Marquez said after the match.
During the match played between India and Bangladesh in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers at J.N Stadium, Shillong on 25th March 2025
India’s best chance came just after the second quarter. Subhasish played Colaco through on the left and the latter put the ball in the middle. Udanta Singh, who got a start for the first time since June 2023, produced a header which was saved by defender Shakil Topu.
The rebound attempt from Farukh Choudhary lacked power and Bangladesh goalkeeper Mitul Marma made an easy save.
Bangladesh broke free once again and Jony was on the run. Goalkeeper Kaith came out of his line at the right time to make an excellent save.
One player who stood out for India was Colaco. He tried his best on the left and was the thorn in Bangadesh’s flesh. Yes, some of his deliveries were wayward. But he tried to do something constructive.
The other match of the group, between Hong Kong and Singapore, also ended goalless. Bangladesh lead the group, India are third. India next play Hong Kong away in the second week of June.