Great game by the team! We may have been slower than Qatar players but one reason behind the draw is that our team is now technically better than earlier teams. The team learnt from previous game's mistakes and played better tactically. Under Stimac we can clearly see that there is no stupid hoofball play at all..Only those who can play his style are making it to the squad.
Coming to the starting 11 I was really scared because the forward 5 players had literally not played toegther at all then how could they match up against Qatar!?? Manvir-Udanta-Poojary-Sahal-Thapa..this combo is too inexperienced against the Asian champs but they somehow survived the first half..I am not a fan of Manvir because he is kind of a raw player but maybe the coach sees something in him..He did more than a decent job but his lack of technicality keeps pulling him down like he cant hold on to the ball too long and concedes silly fouls..However his shielding of the ball and passing is slightly better than a fat ass like Jeje..In the mid Sahal was non existent in first half and this is because his lack of pace is not suitable for a fast pressing team like Qatar..when Qatar slightly tired in the second half, Sahal suddenly became a very dangerous player as we all saw..still he will one day be one of our best thats for sure as he is very young for international football..Thapa had a great game and now has become a very trustworthy player..I wont talk about Poojary but feel Changte should have been given a chance because he has a smart head and loads of pace..Udanta today probably showed why he is the best winger in this country..his pace and stamina was extraordinary..he continously dealt with a beast of a player Abdel Karim one of the Asian players of the year and managed to outrun him every single time..in the end Udanta also played smartly by not going on solo runs when there was no support and hence almost came close to scoring a goal..Our defense stood tall and though I was scared to see Mandar but somehow he managed because of his pace and stamina today..coach did the right thing by atleast playing some fresh players and no words for Gurpreet..today he played like a GK who has European experience under his belt..this is what we have always expected from him!
Asian champions Qatar were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw to India on Tuesday evening, in a contest which will be remembered for the feverish away support and the performances of Blue Tigers keeper Gurpreet Sandhu
The Asian Champions set the pattern of play early on, as Hassan Haydoos saw a rasping shot batted away by Sandhu.
The Blue Tigers suffered heartbreak in their opening game conceding two late goals to lose to Oman, and coach Igor Štimac set up to frustrate Qatar.
Al Annabi continued to push, with Abdulaziz Hatam thumping two shots from range in the space of six minutes, which were pushed away by Sandhu, much to joy of the thousands of Indian fans who were eventually let into the Jassim bin Hamed as the first half progressed.
India remained resolute with Qatar missing further chances to open the scoring Boulam Koukhi should have fired Qatar in to the lead, missing a point-blank header at the far post whilst a pot shot from distance from Bassam Al Rawi flew well wide.
The away side had limited opportunities, although you wouldn’t have known it with the boisterous Indian fans. Utada Kumam broke forward and the rowdy Indian fans rose in expectation only to be dashed as Pedro cleared the ball away.
Gurpreet Singh continued to impress as the first half came to a close, pulling off two further saves to deny Abdulkarim Hassan and Hassan Haydoos with two intuitive stops. Both stops were greeted by the Indian fans who by now took up the vast majority of the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. The Blue Lions captain was set for another busy second half.
Qatar seemed to lack any ingenuity in the final third, and just didn’t have the quality to crack the Indian backline as the second half progressed. Felix Sanchez cut a frustraited figure as Al Annabi pressed and harried India.
Central defender Sadesh was dispossed by Hassan Haydoos, yet Qatar spurned their opportunity with the defender eventually recovering to block the shot from the Al Sadd winger. India eventually found space to exploit with Udanta Kumam the main beneficiary on the right-wing. A surging run from the midfielder and tired stabbed shot was greeted with chances of India in Qatar by the partizan away crowd.
Qatar pushed on diligently and spurned two late chances to take the lead as substitute Ahmed Alaaedin knocked a header over which really should have been on target. Whilst Bassam Al Bassam Al Rawi’s lacklustre shot wide summed up the Asian Champions night.
As for India, they greeted the full-time whistle with joy, after holding on and frustrating the Asian Champions it was a moment to savour for the Blue Tigers who duly celebrated with their fans with a thunderclap.
Fans filed out of the stadium and into the sticky Doha night, one quote from an Indian fan outside out the stadium seems apt, to sum up, this stuttering performance from Qatar.
“It seems like Qatar were more afraid of the Indian fans than the Indian national team.”
Today's attendance was 12020 officially , but it was total mismanagement by the organizers . More tickets were issued than the total capacity. I reckon more than 3000 people who came with tickets can't enter the stadium and we're standing outside the stadium watching the match in big screen. What a shame !! I can only enter to the stadium after 25th mins of play even with QFA pass because of the huge rush outside. But was luck enough to reach to the dressing room of team India after the match but I was stopped by coach Venkatesh to enter the dressing room. Boys all were enjoying after the tough match and didn't come out as all of them where in their Under wears so couldn't click a picture with them.
Comments
Gurpreet? Iron man?
Manvir, initial 15-20 mins is very painful to watch.. after that he done reasonably well both in attack & defense..
Mandar.. same for him for initial 15-20 mins.. later he has done well in defense and made few good clearances
Asian champions Qatar were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw to India on Tuesday evening, in a contest which will be remembered for the feverish away support and the performances of Blue Tigers keeper Gurpreet Sandhu
The Asian Champions set the pattern of play early on, as Hassan Haydoos saw a rasping shot batted away by Sandhu.
The Blue Tigers suffered heartbreak in their opening game conceding two late goals to lose to Oman, and coach Igor Štimac set up to frustrate Qatar.
Al Annabi continued to push, with Abdulaziz Hatam thumping two shots from range in the space of six minutes, which were pushed away by Sandhu, much to joy of the thousands of Indian fans who were eventually let into the Jassim bin Hamed as the first half progressed.
India remained resolute with Qatar missing further chances to open the scoring Boulam Koukhi should have fired Qatar in to the lead, missing a point-blank header at the far post whilst a pot shot from distance from Bassam Al Rawi flew well wide.
The away side had limited opportunities, although you wouldn’t have known it with the boisterous Indian fans. Utada Kumam broke forward and the rowdy Indian fans rose in expectation only to be dashed as Pedro cleared the ball away.
Gurpreet Singh continued to impress as the first half came to a close, pulling off two further saves to deny Abdulkarim Hassan and Hassan Haydoos with two intuitive stops. Both stops were greeted by the Indian fans who by now took up the vast majority of the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. The Blue Lions captain was set for another busy second half.
Qatar seemed to lack any ingenuity in the final third, and just didn’t have the quality to crack the Indian backline as the second half progressed. Felix Sanchez cut a frustraited figure as Al Annabi pressed and harried India.
Central defender Sadesh was dispossed by Hassan Haydoos, yet Qatar spurned their opportunity with the defender eventually recovering to block the shot from the Al Sadd winger. India eventually found space to exploit with Udanta Kumam the main beneficiary on the right-wing. A surging run from the midfielder and tired stabbed shot was greeted with chances of India in Qatar by the partizan away crowd.
Qatar pushed on diligently and spurned two late chances to take the lead as substitute Ahmed Alaaedin knocked a header over which really should have been on target. Whilst Bassam Al Bassam Al Rawi’s lacklustre shot wide summed up the Asian Champions night.
As for India, they greeted the full-time whistle with joy, after holding on and frustrating the Asian Champions it was a moment to savour for the Blue Tigers who duly celebrated with their fans with a thunderclap.
Fans filed out of the stadium and into the sticky Doha night, one quote from an Indian fan outside out the stadium seems apt, to sum up, this stuttering performance from Qatar.
“It seems like Qatar were more afraid of the Indian fans than the Indian national team.”
I can only enter to the stadium after 25th mins of play even with QFA pass because of the huge rush outside. But was luck enough to reach to the dressing room of team India after the match but I was stopped by coach Venkatesh to enter the dressing room. Boys all were enjoying after the tough match and didn't come out as all of them where in their Under wears so couldn't click a picture with them.