This is by far the best performance for Indian Youth team considering iraq is a mighty power in Asia.If we can sustain this performance we should win both Turk and oman games.I have already started to dream for next round.
But Arthur must be very worried..he wanted to avoid further injury to jeje before coming here and it hasnt happened..Jeje ideally shud have again come as a 2nd half sub...the good thing is that since Arthur rotated squad by 4 players, we can still have a few fresh legs for the next game...<br>
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the kick-off. Out went his notebook and points were being jotted down.
He wanted to have a look at both Iraq and India. Tempted, one asked:
“What’s your assessment?” It was interval by then and India were down by
a goal.<br>
<br>
“India’s organisation is good. Iraq are pressing but your team is not
crumbling down. You should have converted the two chances you got,” he
commented. He referred to a Holicharan Narzary header and a Manandeep
Singh shot, both of which were deflected into corners.<br>
<br>
Iraq survived those two and went on to beat India 2-1 in their second
match of the U-22 AFC Championship at the Royal Oman Police Stadium on
Monday (June 25). Captain Ali Mohammed Alialah headed in a Jawad Kadhim
cross in the 35th minute after Jawad got past Vishal Kumar and had
sneaked into the box. Ammar Abdul Hussein scored the second goal for
Iraq in the 49th minute.<br>
<br>
Alwyn George pulled one back for India in the 82nd minute.<br>
<br>
Arthur Papas’ boys are a new India. They don’t wilt under pressure and
stay willing to press; and press hard. In the first half, formations
changed. The veteran Baler Sadih noticed it.<br>
<br>
“India aren’t sticking to one formation. They are constantly changing.
Sometimes it’s 4-3-2-1; the next moment it’s 4-3-1-2 and then 4-3-3.
Such teams are always dangerous,” he prophesied as Alwyn George made one
of his sizzling runs into the rival box.<br>
<br>
Upfront, Captain Jeje Lalpekhlua limped off in the 38th minute and
substitute Holicharan Narzary almost scored off his first touch with the
ball – his header just off the target. His partner Manandeep was a man
possessed. His passion reflected as he never shied away from tackles,
making those off the ball runs and chased like everything depended on
it.<br>
<br>
In the 42nd minute, he almost scored but Alialah was able to deflect it the last moment for a corner.<br>
<br>
Changing over, Iraq doubled the lead almost immediately after resumption – in the 49th minute through Ammar Abdul Hussein.<br>
<br>
Despite down by two goals, India didn’t panic. Rather, they tried
regrouped. After a string of passes in the 69th minute, Lalrindika
Ralte’s long-ranger almost beat the diving rival goalkeeper Yaseen Yas
but Yas managed to palm it away for a corner. In the very next minute,
Dika’s free-kick hit the wall.<br>
<br>
India pressed and soon Dika and Allwyn’s one-twos had the Iraqis
guessing. In the 75th minute, Manandeep tried to tap in between the two
stoppers but Yasees was quick to react.<br>
<br>
The Iraqis tried to slow down the game in the last quarter of the match
but Alwyn was too good for them. He shrugged off three defenders and tap
it over an onrushing Yaseen in the 82nd minute.<br>
<br>
The rest of the match, India went all out but Iraq managed to hold on
despiet the panic. A handball shout was even ruled out. The books may
suggest the score for future but the spirit and camaraderie will never
be reflected in that. This is a resurgent India who never gives up till
the final whistle.<br>
<br>
India next play United Arab Emirates on July 28.<br>
<br>
<strong>INDIA: </strong>Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Vishal Kumar, Souvik
Ghosh, Prathamesh Maulinkar, Narayan Das, Pronoy Halder (Ganeshan –
58th), Milan Singh (<b>Romeo – 83rd)</b>, Lalrindika Ralte, Alwyn George,
Manandeep Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua © (Hoicharan Narzary – 38th).