India’s national football team has been on an impressive streak, staying unbeaten throughout the year while playing lower-ranked teams and even securing decent results against tougher opponents. There was optimism that this progress would continue as they prepared for the Asian Cup. However, the last four days have revealed that India still faces challenges on their path to success.
The recent matches have highlighted India’s struggle to score goals consistently. After a hard-fought draw against Iraq, which ended in a penalty shootout loss, India faced Lebanon and experienced a 1-0 defeat. This loss was part of a pattern where India controlled the game, had good midfield connections, and maintained a strong defense but lacked quality in the attacking third.
This goal-scoring issue isn’t new, as two of the three previous encounters with Lebanon earlier this year also ended goalless. In those games, India’s defense saved the day, but the trend didn’t hold in the recent match against Lebanon. Kaseem Al Zein scored the winning goal in the 77th minute, somewhat against the run of play.
Despite enjoying possession and making offensive efforts, India struggled to find the back of the net. With Sunil Chhetri absent due to personal reasons, the team’s finishing touch was lacking. Players like Manvir Singh and Lallianzuala Chhangte created opportunities but couldn’t convert them.
Coach Igor Stimac tried to change the game with substitutions in the second half, but it didn’t add the needed firepower. In the last 10 minutes, India pressed for an equalizer, but Lebanon defended resolutely, denying clear goal-scoring opportunities.
India’s recent overseas matches have revealed that while they’ve made progress, there’s still work to be done to perform well at the continental championship. The team needs to address their goal-scoring issues and find more attacking prowess before the Asian Cup.
On a positive note, India’s U-16 team clinched the South Asian championship title, defeating Bangladesh 2-0 in the final. Coached by Ishfaq Ahmed, the young Indian squad played attacking football and secured a comfortable victory, showcasing hope for the future.
