Indian football team is out of the final reckoning at the Intercontinental Cup. Get analysis and highlights of the India vs North Korea (IND vs PRK) Intercontinental Cup match below.
Indian football team was completely outplayed by North Korea (DPR Korea) in their Intercontinental Cup match in Ahmedabad on July 13. The Koreans thrashed India 5-2. With the result, India are out of the race for the final in the four-team tournament.
Jong Il Gwan scored twice for Korea, in the 8th and 28th minute, while Sim Hyon Jin struck once in the 16th minute to give Korea a 3-0 lead going into half time. The second half began with India pressing hard. Lallianzuala Chhangte scored for the hosts in the 51st minute and the home side started signs of a fight back. But Koreans soon regrouped and made it 4-1 through a goal by Ri Un Chol. Sunil Chhetri then made it 2-4 but the Koreans maintained their pressure and rounded off the scoring through a Ri Hyong Jin strike in injury time. (Get analysis and highlights of the India vs North Korea (IND vs PRK) Intercontinental Cup match below.)
51’ As I type that, Chhangte scores!!!! Pace means pace indeed. Some tough pressing from Rowllin and Jobby means Korea lose the ball to Chhetri who lays a brilliant pass for Chhangte sprinting on the left. He takes a super first touch and blasts it into the bottom corner. India have one back.
52’ Out of almost nothing, Gwan hits the crossbar. That was really breathtaking skill. He catches a ball perfectly with his foot, uses his thigh to adjust the bounce and hits it on the volley. Outrageous stuff. No goal, but a lot of beauty.
53’ Obviously, this is an inspired substitution, bringing Chhangte and Udanta on for Brandon and Manvir, but it begs the question: why not start with these two? They have pace, and whatever composure they lack can be compensated by that.
A note on the tackling: There have been two yellows for late slides already. Unfortunately the Indian players are just a step or two behind. The tackle go in because they think the ball will be at Point A, but the couple of extra seconds they give the opposition allows the other player to move the ball to Point B and buy a foul. I get the instinct, or the desire, to commit. But that’s an urge that has to be fought.
-- Siddhanth Aney
56’ Sunil Chhetri has just done something that will, just will make you smile. India are winning all the 50/50s now. Rowllin wins one, and passes it to Chhetri, who, very casually backheels it to Udanta. Nothing comes off it, but as far as Saturday thrills go, this is right up top.
58’ Here’s a controversial thought: Play Chhetri as a midfielder. Seriously. What’s the worst that can happen? He has the touch, the vision, the ability, and in any case, he loves creating chances for the others whenever he can.
60’ From a corner Korea have a free header to get a fourth, but Ri Hyong Jin heads it wide. He should’ve done better. And so should India. There was no one marking him.
We missed this, but Anirudh Thapa is on instead of Jobby Justin.
62’ Udanta shoots high. Some super play by Thapa, CHhetri and Udanta at the top of the box, and Udanta had space for a shot. He shoots high though.
63’ Korea score a fourth! Off a counter, Jong Il Gwan lays it of to Ri Un Chol, who slots it home. Gwan could have been offside. Probably wasn’t. That’s the game though.
66’ Korea have killed whatever little momentum India had generated early this half. Now it’s tiki taka till you die.
68’ Korea have another pop from outside the box. The ball is hit low and hard, but Amrinder saves. Weirdly, but he saves.
Hong Jin Song has gone down very awkwardly landing on his left hand. And on the replay it looks awful. He has definitely dislocated it. Ugh. That looks very painful.
70’ It seems strange that Arjun is saying he’s on incognito (after losing interest in the match). That doesn’t help mate. Get a VPN.
71’ Okay wait. Chhetri scores. Of course he does. Sahal (who has just come on) from the top of the box finds Udanta on the right. Udanta crosses it in, and Chhetri scores off his knee. This is not a joke. Chhetri has scored with his knee.
Has Udanta Singh given a good cross? Have we achieved world peace? Has mankind dropped their ego? Have I been voted sexiest man on the planet??
-- Arjun Pandit (on existential crisis)
So, we are adding to the fun for India’s last league game, on Tuesday, July 16. We will be doing audio commentary as well, off the tube, on our YouTube and Facebook channels. Tune in for some real fun.
74’ This is going to be tough. Sahal has done some crazy stuff right now. Brace yourselves, we will try our best to describe this.
He took the ball in the centre of the field, about 30 yards from goal, turns as if there is no one nearby. He then takes two superb touches, one in, one out to leave some Korean defenders scratching their heads, and then does the one wrong thing, by hurrying a shot. It gets a deflection and he wins a corner.
Anant Tyagi calls that whole segment ‘Ballet in Blue’ and frankly, that cannot be bettered. It is exactly what it was.
76’ Some brilliant play again. Sahal sprays it in the centre to Chhetri at the top of the box, who finds Thapa with his first touch. Thapa controls it, and then blasts a shot at goal. It is saved brilliantly. That was going in. Uff.
Antae Song is the Korean goalkeeper. Good name. Suggests his form too.
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