New Delhi: The Indian football team lacked intensity on the field as they lost 3-0 against FIFA’s 93rd-ranked team, Syria, in the Intercontinental Cup 2024, which is being played at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad. The defending champions had won the title twice and were expected to win it for the third time. Syria however, were dominant throughout the game, scoring within seven minutes from kick off and piling two more goals in the second half.
Managing the side in his second game, Manolo Marquez was left displeased with the performance. Marquez has yet to taste victory with the Indian team and expressed his frustration with the side’s performance. Speaking to the media, the 56-year-old felt the Indian tigers displayed a timid performance against Syria. He has maintained that the team needs to show character in order to win at the big stages.
Syria clinches the Intercontinental Cup title. 🏆#IndianFootball ⚽️ #IntercontinentalCup2024 pic.twitter.com/pLON8ItVKA
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 9, 2024
Marquez felt that whilst the team had a better performance in the second half, India played cowardly in the first half and that took away the game. The Indians were yet to settle into the game when Mahmoud Alaswad scored in the seventh minute after a mix-up between goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and the defenders. From here on India never recovered and Syria just took the game away.
Daleho Irandust scored in the 77th minute, which sealed the fate of the Indian team. Pablo Sabbag’s goal in the injury time showed the dominant performance of the Syrian side. Still, the second half of the game saw India create chances and push Syria on the back foot on many occasions. However, they were unable to finish strong despite their determined play. For Marquez, taking over from Igor Stimac this July, the start hasn’t been the best, with the previous game against Mauritius also ending in a goalless draw.
The Blue tigers lost 0-3 to Syria in the Intercontinental Cup 2024 failing to defend the title. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
