Indian football team players celebrate Sunil Chhetri's opening goal against Tajikistan. Get highlights and analysis of the India vs Tajikistan Intercontinental Cup football match below.
Tajikistan stormed the Indian castle in the second half, scoring four goals to beat the home side 4-2 in their Intercontinental Cup football match in Ahmedabad on July 7. Komron Tursunov, Sheriddin Boboev, Muhammadjon Rahimov, Shahrom Samiyev scored for Tajikistan. Earlier, Sunil Chhetri scored twice, including from the penalty spot as the Indian football team went into the break with a 2-0 lead. Lallianzuala Chhangte earned the penalty in the fourth minute of the match which Chhetri converted with ease. There after, Tajikistan started pressing the Indian defence, but failed to capitalise. They were made to pay when Chhetri scored again in the 41st minute. All of that, however, changed in the second half when the Tajikistan side came out with renewed vigour and efficiency up front. (Get highlights and analysis of the India vs Tajikistan Intercontinental Cup match below).
41’ Chhetri has a second!!! What a finish!!! Chhangte gets to a loose ball on the left, lays it off to Mandar Rao Desai, who crosses it in. Chhetri traps the ball dead right on the penalty spot. Then smacks it into the top left. And the way he celebrates is also brilliant. He pretends he’s done this playing five a side at a Chattarpur farm house.
I think the idea of playing games against teams such as Tajikistan is to improve movement, communication and decision making. While the movement from India has been decent, as has some of the passing, the boys in blue don’t seem to be doing as well on the other two counts. Narender, the teenaged debutant, has switched off three times in the half. All three times Tajikistan should have hit the back of the net. At the other end Udanta needs to do much better with his head. His pace put India in a great position to go two goals up. But he balanced it out with a poor touch and an even worse decision in the box.
-- Siddhanth
44’ Tajikistan have a shot from distance. It was frustrated, irritated punt. And obviously it went wide.
In the Women’s World Cup, the USA have parked themselves in the Dutch box. They are playing what looks like a 2-3-5 formation, that went out of fashion a while back. They can afford to, of course, seeing as the Dutch aren’t doing much.
45’ One minute of added time. Tajikistan have the ball. They pass it wide, they drop a cross into the box, but Narender clears comfortably.
46’ Stimac comes out of the dugout and is gesturing wildly. Seconds later, the referee blows for halftime.
Two goals for India. Two goals for Captain, Leader, Legend. India have been comfortable mainly because of Tajikistan’s toothlessness in attack. The pass that created the penalty for the first goal was exquisite. It was the kind of slow motion, receive, swivel release movement usually associated with an Algerian born Frenchman. Okay, maybe that’s pushing it, but why not. Hyperbole is all we have. Sahal Abdul Samad is showing again why Igor Stimac thinks he is the key to his game plan. Besides that pass, and few other half baked counter attacks, India have done little of note. The second goal though was created from a half chance. And Chhetri loves half chances. India could ride this game out comfortably.
The break was just about long enough for a hot bowl of sambar-chawal. What’s your ideal halftime feed? Teams are back on the pitch and we are ready for the final 45.
46’ We kick off again. Amarjit is off and Vinit Rai is on. Tajikistan kick of and immediately start their pointless passing routine which falls spectacularly in the final third.
47’ Cross comes in from the Tajikistani left. Narender clears.
49’ Thapa runs clear to the edge of the box, feints once, feints twice and gives up the chance. He could have pulled the trigger earlier, or even looked for Udanta making a run and in the clear on the right.
50’ Chhetri plays Sahal in the box, with a brilliant cross. Sahal brings it down perfectly, cuts away, turns then sends the ball out of play when finding a team mate may have been easier. The one mistake in that sequence.
51’ Paul Masefield says, ‘If you look sloppy, you play sloppy’. They are talking about a few Tajikistan players with their socks pulled lower than usual. Wonder what he thinks of Thomas Muller. Or Jack Grealish.
54’ Mandar, Sahal and Vinit Rai do some brilliant triangle formation passing. Then Sahal is pushed off the ball and Tajikistan attack. Rai chases and pushes Naarov off. The referee blows for a foul. Sahal is immediately protesting.
55’ Tajikistan have won a corner. And it’s a good one. Its at the near post and Rahimov gets his head to it, but glances it wide off the far post. Caught it too cleanly.
56’ Tajikistan have a goal back!
India lose the ball in midfield and Tajikistan break at speed. Tursunov runs into the box, takes a shot, and astonishingly Gurpreet saves it from almost a point blank range! But the rebound falls to Tursunov again, and this time he slots home. India 2-1 Tajikistan
58’ India have a chance! Chhetri has a chance! And it was a sitter! Compared to the ones he is usually served. Udanta crosses from the right, and the ball falls at the feet of Chhetri who is about 5 yards out. All he has to do it slot it home, but he pulls it high and wide!! That is seriously mad!
59’ And Tajikistan have equalised!! It is a reply of what India missed. Tursunov crosses from the right, India’s defence are caught napping and Boboev sneaks in at the far post and hammers it home. Game on.
60’ Boboev, by the way, was the cause of Masefield’s sloppy rant. He hasn’t pulled up his socks, or tucked in his shirt. In fact, all he -- and Tajikistan -- have done, is get more effective in the final third. India have been made to pay for two crucial lapses in concentration in this half.
61’ Stimac makes his second sub. Mandar off. Jerry Lalrinzuala on.
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