It was all set up for India to topple a stitched-together Afghanistan home and away in what was a crucial week in the second round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
What was a potential six-pointer for India finished with just one point in two games, including a 1-2 at home here at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on Tuesday.
The night ended with ‘Stimac out!’ chants from the 8000-strong home crowd in attendance as the usually charismatic Igor Stimac straight-jacketed himself and kicked the turf in dismay.
Stimac, who is under contract until 2026, was extremely confident of taking India into the third round of the qualifiers for the first time.
All his preparation for the better part of the last 12 months has been to take this team into the next phase of the qualifiers. He had even raised the stakes for himself, saying he will step down from his role if he fails to do so come June. Now, India’s qualification chances and Stimac’s job are hanging by a thread.
Stimac will feel hard done by too. India had the best chance of the match in the third minute when Manvir Singh blazed over the bar from just six yards out, much to the agony of every Indian supporter in the seats.
The issue of goal-scoring has been haunting this Indian side felt the Croatian and the missed opportunity further encapsulated India’s malise in recent months.
AS IT HAPPENED: INDIA vs AFGHANISTAN HIGHLIGHTS
The goal drought ended at 502 minutes when skipper Sunil Chhetri, playing in his 150th international game, stepped up to convert a penalty after Haroon Amiri handled the ball inside the box in the first half.
For Amiri, who is playing his last international game, it could have been a harsh ending to his career, but it wasn’t to be.
Stimac made three changes from the away game and switched to a 4-3-3 shape with Brandon Fernandes playing as a no. 8. India started strongly with Brandon fashioning a chance for Chhetri, whose shot struck the post from which Manvir floundered.
Afghanistan then showed its strength from set pieces when Amiri forced a save from Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Even after the change to the system, India couldn’t force its control on this match as Afghanistan’s technical superiority allowed it to grow into this game as the game wore on.
India’s patient passing from the back wasn’t threatening Afghanistan’s disciplined shape. Its set pieces were also negotiated by the imposing Afghans in the box. It needed some urgency to move the ball from the back to the front and it finally came 10 minutes from the break.
From a free-kick inside his box, quick passes from Anwar Ali and Lalengmawia Ralte, destabilised Afghanistan’s shape before Manvir played in a sumptuous cross into the box, which a flustered Amiri handled with a flailing arm. The referee awarded the penalty and Chhetri did the rest.
The goal allowed India to play a bit more freely in the second half but it couldn’t play the right cross or the final ball to trouble Afghanistan.
Then, Stimac took out Chhetri as part of his three changes and two minutes later, Afghanistan equalised. A long ball was flicked behind the Indian defence, which created all sorts of trouble. Despite a couple of blocks, the ball fell to Rahmat Akbari, whose shot from the edge of the box, trickled its way into the bottom corner in the 70th minute.
From there on, the momentum shifted in favour of Afghanistan as India struggled to fashion a chance of its own. Gurpreet kept out a curling effort from distance by Jabar Sharza but the shot-stopper was culpable when he ran from his line and clattered into Siar Saadat to concede a penalty in the 87th minute. Sharif Mukhammad sent Gurpreet the wrong way to slot his penalty to the left to send the Afghan bench into raptures.
On the night, Anwar Ali could feel he came away with some credit with his timely interceptions and composure on the ball but he would feel let down by the rest.
The defeat is a huge dent to India’s morale at the hands of a 158th-ranked team in the world. A victory over Kuwait could turn things around for the Blue Tigers’ but as it stands, Stimac’s promised land is further away from reach.
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