Hello and welcome to Sportstar's blog of the Nepal vs India international friendly match played at the Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal. This is Aashin Prasad bringing you the minute-by-minute update.
MATCH REPORT|
Not so convincing but a much-needed win for India and coach Igor Stimac in trying conditions against a dogged opponent. India's skipper Sunil Chhetri as ever making the difference by setting up Farukh;s goal before scoring one late on to give his side a cushion. Nepal would be left wondering if it had taken its chances in the first half.
FULL-TIME
90'+3' Nepal's goalkeeper comes up for the long throw in. An Indian defender heads out the throw in.
90'+3' Physios come on as Bose goes down inside the India box requiring treatment.
90'+2' Yasir takes a shot from distance but its tame and rolls into the hands of the 'keeper.
90' +1' Successive corners for Nepal but India steer clear of danger on both occasions.
FIVE MINUTES OF ADDED TIME
India change: Lalengmawia, Thapa - OUT, Halder, Yasir - IN
89' Anjan fights off Seriton on the left flank before swining a cross into the box which is headed out.
85' GOAL! Nepal pulls one back! Tej Tamang with a stunning strike from distance! That has lifted the home crowd as Nepal look to push for the equaliser.
83' Farukh's cross is cleared behind for a corner for India.
80' GOAL! Sunil Chhetri scores and it's his 75th goal for India! On the break after Thapa played in the pass, and the Indian skipper makes no mistake by slotting it past Kiran.
79' Gautam is brought down by Farukh but the winger isn't happy with the assistant's decision to award the foul.
78' India change: Rahim - OUT, Glan Martins - IN
76' India coach Stimac is not happy with the decision and his dissent on the touchline earns him a yellow card.
75' Good move from India with Chhetri and Farukh linking up to play Rahim through on goal but a Nepal defender gets in a clean challenge to deny him from pulling the trigger.
74' What a chance for Nepal but Manish can't get the finish from close range after a clipped ball into the area.
72' Thapa intercepts a cross inside India's box but he can't control the ball and ends up outting it behind for a corner.
69' Bishal with a freekick from the left and Chhetri gets a crucial header to clear the ball out.
68' Another chance immediately after with Mawayug squaring the ball inside India's box but the shot is pulled wide by Bishal. A huge let off for India.
67' Referee gives a warning to Amrinder to speed up his goal-kick. Nepal attacks down the rfight but the cross is wide of the forward.
India change: Manvir OUT, Suresh IN
66' A strong header from close range by Anjan Bista but Amrinder is behind the ball to collect it.
64' Thapa's corner from the right is cleared out before a long range shot rolls into the hands of Kiran.
62' GOAL! Farukh scores to give India the lead! Sana with a long ball into the Nepal box, where Chhetri leaps high to nod a header into the path of an unmarked Farukh, who has the simplest of task in finding the net from close range.
Nepal change: Ayush - OUT Nawayug - IN
60' Kiran Kumar is requiring some treament from the medical staff.
57' Subhasish with a poor challenge on Gautam on the left side but no punishment for the left-back.
56' Tej Tamang is shown a yellow for a clumsy foul on Lalengmawia outside India's box.
54' Farukh looks for a give-and-go with Thapa inside Nepal's box but the assistant flags the former offside.
53' Sana swings in a teasing delivery inside the box but Kiran does well to collect the ball.
51' A Nepal player goes down inside the Nepal box before the corner is taken. Rahim seems to have caught Manish. No punishment handed out.
50' India makes its way forward through the right and apply pressure on Nepal's box before winning a corner.
49' India struggling to play the ball out of the back.
46' The second half is underway.
India bring on Farukh Chouhdary for Bipin Singh.
SECOND HALF
India again finding it difficult to impose itself in the game. Nepal has had the best of the openings with Manish losing his footing in the crucial moment which could have hurt India. India has three strikers in the line-up today but the trio hasn't had any real service inside Nepal's box. Nepal has held its shape well in defence and also have been quick to close down India, who are struggling in the heavy pitch, on the ball to make it difficult for them to move the ball around.
Half-time whistle blown.
45' +1' Ayush had a good chance to take a shot after being played through inside India's box but he doesn't pull the trigger.
Two minutes of added time
45' Seriton with a ball into the box and Chhetri gets a flick-on header which flies just over the bar.
43' Nepal changes: Anjan Bista, Bishal Rai - IN; Suman Lama, Asish Lama - OUT
41' Manvir plays in a cross from the right which Bipin looks to keep in play but Gautam puts the ball behind for a corner.
40' Thapa plays a high ball forward but Nepal defenders safely see out the situation.
38' A brief break in play which medical official checking on Lama. He is okay to continue. Play resumes and Lalengmawia is fouled inside his own half.
35' India moving the ball around but unable to find any real opening. Seriton is shown a yellow card for a high boot on Suman Lama.
32' Pritam's surging run forward is cut short but Bose helps stop a Nepal counter attack down the left side.
29' Thapa finds himself in Nepal's box again and he fires in a shot-cum-cross into the six-yard area but a sliding block clears the danger.
28' What a chance for Nepal. Thapa's pass is cut out and Ayush picks up the loose ball outside the area. He cuts in to the middle and floats a ball into the box which needed Aasish Lama to redirect but he faisl to do so. Amrinder was stranded in his spot.
26' A long ball is floated into the Indian box and Sana gets the crucial header to put it behind for a corner.
25' Freekick given against India as Thapa is adjudged to have fouled Sujal.
24' Chance for India. A cross from the left finds the Thapa, but the ball ends up bouncing off his feet before he could get his shot away.
23' Oh dear.. Seriton with a poor giveaway in the middle of the park which Tej Tamang latches on to and has a run through on goal but he ends up going for a shot from over 50 yards. The ball sails wide.
22' Nepal moving the ball much swifter in and around the box and is let down only by the final end product at the moment.
20' Good play by Nepal down the right sees Suman Lama released down the flank but his dangerous cross across the face of the goal has no takers.
19' Manvir clatters into Manish near the right flank as he looked to get on the end of a Seriton pass. Foul against India.
18' India failing to string together possession at the moment. Sana with a poor ball to find Chhetri's run goes behind for a goal kick.
15' India again gives away the ball outside its own box allowing Nepal to pile on the pressure which is relieved by a shot from distance that flies over the bar.
12' Poor goalkick by Amrinder followed by a chaotic clearance leads to a big Nepal chance for Manish but he loses his footing in the crucial moment which allows the Indian defence to recover and avert danger. Manish couldn't quite sort his footing to square the ball for his strike partner.
11' Thapa flips a ball behind the defence for Bipin but Gautam recovers to put the ball out of danger.
10' Nepal breaks forward but lose control of possession.
9' Subhasish wins a free-kick on the left flank. Another set peice for India. Thapa lines up the freekick and takes it but its headed away from the box.
7' Gautam wins a foul against Bipin on the left side as the Indian winger looked to chase down a long ball.
1' The match is underway in Kathmandu. India lines up in blue, Nepal in white.
FIRST HALF
Kick-off is just a few minutes away..
India found it hard to hit its passing rhythm in the 1-1 draw in what was a heavy outfield at the Dashrath Stadium. The team also wasn't able to hit the practice ground due to incessant rains which has forced it indoors until last evening.
Plenty of changes as expected, seven in total to Igor Stimac's XI. Chhetri, Manvir, Chinglensana and Subhasish remain the only ones to retain their places from the 1-1 draw on Thursday.
TEAM NEWS
India XI: Amrinder Singh (23); Seriton Fernandes (26), Chinglensana Singh (4), Pritam Kotal (20), Subhasish Bose (3); Bipin Singh (14), Anirudh Thapa (7), Lalengmawia (18), Rahim Ali (22); Sunil Chhetri (11), Manvir Singh (9)
Nepal XI: Kiran Kumar Lambu (16), Dinesh Rajbanshi (2), Gautam Shreshta (5), Manish Dangi (21), Ananta Tamang (4), Suman Lama (12), Tej Tamang (13), Pujan Uparkoti (11), Aasish Lama (10), Ayush Ghalan (19), Sujal Shrestha (15)
Hello everyone. The Indian men's football team is back in action and will look for an improved showing today in the repeat fixtire. We are just minutes away from the team news.
Match Preview
Held by a lowly Nepal in its last match, the Indian men's football team would settle for nothing less than a victory in the second international friendly against the Himalayan nation here on Sunday.
At 105, India is ranked much above the 171st placed Nepal in the FIFA rankings, but still then the Sunil Chhetri-led side produced a below-par show in the first match to be held to a 1-1 draw on Thursday.
Substitute Anirudh Thapa came in as saviour for the visitor as he found the equaliser in the 60th minute after Nepal grabbed the lead through Anjan Bista in the 36th minute.
On Sunday, India will need a better showing to outwit a determined Nepal, who will brimming with confidence following the last match result.
READ: Durand Cup 2021: All you need to know
The friendlies are being organised as part of preparations for next month's SAFF Championships in Maldives.
The five-team SAFF Championships will be held from October 3 to October 13 at the National Stadium in Male.
Besides India, the other participating teams are Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, hosts Maldives and Nepal.
India head coach Igor Stimac was not happy with the performance but hoped for a better show from his wards on Sunday.
"The mood is positive and our boys are aware that they can do much better. Of course, we are still short with the energy level because we are just at the end of the second week of preparation, and the legs are still heavy. But, they are looking forward to put in a better performance," he said.
"We are going to change a few things, and see if that can help us in terms of passing with more confidence, and getting forward easier." India custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu too feels that the team needs to raise its bar on Sunday to come out on the positive side of the result.
"The last game was a tough one and Nepal were very organised. We had moments where we could have done better as a team, and there were moments where we did get better.
"We need to make sure that we have a strong mentality going into the second game. We need to make sure that we use it to prepare for the SAFF Championship in good order," he said.
Thapa, who suffered an injury scare in his ankle in the last match, is fit to play on Sunday.
"I am fine now," assured Thapa.
"I have been working on my short sprints, especially my start. That allowed me to connect the ball ahead of my marker, and even goalkeeper Kiran-bhai (Kiran Limbu)," he explains.
"We were much better in the second half in the first match and wished the match could have continued for some more time for us to find the winner," Thapa concluded.
Complete Indian squad
Complete Nepal Squad
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