India’s Blue Tigers defy odds despite being set up to flop
Imagine a nation arriving at the football tournament of a multisport continental event with a whole host of first-choice players missing from the squad.
And imagine that the second-choice players who are called up are thrown into the fray without adequate preparation.
Combine both these scenarios and you will find yourself in the shoes (or rather football boots) of the India men’s football team at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
India men’s football team lines up for its Group A match against China at the Asian Games
Their footballing journey in China has ended courtesy of a 0-2 loss to Saudi Arabia in the Round of 16 of the Asiad, but there is more to this Indian team than meets the eye.
The Blue Tigers were forced to make do with second-string players at the continental event. But, against all odds, they managed to win points on the pitch, and hearts off it.
Let’s take a more nuanced look at and decode the performances of the India men’s football team at the Asian Games.
Obstacles galore for the Blue Tigers
Two months ago, the India men’s football team didn’t even know if they would represent the Indian tricolour at the Asiad. The Indian Sports Ministry had laid down certain conditions for team-based sporting events at the Asian Games, which were as follows:
“For team events, only those sports which have achieved a ranking up to 8th among participating countries of Asia in the last one year should be considered for participation for the Asian Games”.
These were later relaxed for both the men’s and women’s football teams. But, this was just a warning sign of what was to confront the Blue Tigers in the build-up to and during perhaps the most prestigious sporting event in Asia.
The Asian Games’ football tournament began on September 19, while India’s top-flight football league – the Indian Super League – began on September 21. With their eyes on the lucrative domestic league, Indian clubs didn’t release a plethora of key players like Anwar Ali, Akash Mishra, Jeakson Singh, and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
India’s Sandesh Jhingan passes the ball during the Blue Tigers’ game against China
Instead, they released second-choice players, with only centre-back Sandesh Jhingan and talismanic forward Sunil Chhetri among players with significant international experience.
Journey hiccups and training woes add to misery
India’s head coach Igor Stimac bemoaned the fact that his players didn’t take part in even one training session together before a long, arduous journey to Hangzhou.
The players had to endure an 11-hour layover in Singapore – many of them rested inside Singapore airport’s spa as no hotel rooms were available.
Deprived of time, Stimac utilised the journey to China to give tactical analysis and prepare his players to face the hosts in their opening Group A encounter.
Igor Stimac issues instructions to India’s players
Before departing for the Games, the 55-year-old Croat said: “We will not have a single training session prior to the game. We will give tactical preparation at the airport and on the flight. There is no time to cry now and go back. We will have to just use this time wisely.”
India men’s football team exceeds expectations at the Asian Games
India came up against hosts China in their first game, suffering a 5-1 demolition – capitulating towards the end as they conceded three goals in the last 20 minutes.
India’s Sunil Chhetri (#11, blue) competes for the ball against China’s Jiang Shenglong
Next, they earned a gritty 1-0 win against Bangladesh as Sunil Chhetri scored a penalty in the 85th minute to register India’s first win in Group A.
In the last group game, they earned a 1-1 draw in a hard-fought match against Myanmar to reach the knockout stage for the first time in 13 years.
It is worth noting that India’s team secured a place in the Round of 16 against Saudi Arabia without a single training session before or during the group stage matches.
It was only a day after the group stage had ended that they trained together for the first time – with the game against the Falcons on the horizon.
Against the West Asian side, Indian players had to largely operate on the counter and put their bodies behind the ball – which made it difficult for Al-Saqour to get a sight of goal in the first half.
India’s Narender Gahlot (#18) tries to block a shot from Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Khalil Marran
But, two quickfire goals from Cristiano Ronaldo’s 22-year-old club teammate Mohammed Khalil Marran midway through the second half were enough for Saudi Arabia to record a second straight victory over the Blue Tigers at the Asian Games, the first one coming back in 1982 in New Delhi.
India ultimately went on to lose 0-2 to the current U23 AFC Asian Cup holders this time, but this loss doesn’t tell the entire story of this valiant Indian team – one that triumphed over nearly every obstacle thrown in its path, and created history during their journey at the Asian Games.
