India go down to Syria
A brace each from Mahmoud Almawas and Omar Kharbin made it look easy for Syria.
Meanwhile, Central Defender Shankar Sampingraj was sent off in the 73rd minute when he was first flashed his first yellow card, and almost immediately after, shown the Red. But it didn’t matter much as India had already conceded four by then and didn’t go on to concede any further.
“Syria were a very strong opposition. They were too good,” Head Coach Savio Medeira said at the Official post-match Media Interaction. “Playing consecutive matches at 3pm had a toll on the boys. Furthermore, Shankar was sent off and matters worsened for us,” he added.
“We had a specific strategy to scuttle the flow of movement down the flanks but somehow it didn’t click.”
India take on hosts Bangladesh in their as Group League encounter on March 31 (Tuesday).
There wasn’t much to speak about India’s play apart from two long-rangers – one in each half. The first one from Germanpreet Singh in the 41st minute sailed over and it was the first Indian attack at the rival citadel; and a second from Jayesh Rane in the second half which hit the bar.
India also had another chance in the 69th minute when Germanpreet fed substitute Thongsiem Haokip in the clear but the Syrian defence recovered faster and eventually, Haokip for that sight delay couldn’t finish it off.
India fell behind right from the start and there wasn’t anyone upfront in the real sense and which allowed Syria the luxury of having it easy in their own half. Many a time there wasn’t any to pass it forward and the Syrians neutralized the sole striker’s running around with their numerical superiority.
From midway in the first-half, Syria had four men upfront who interchanged, rotated and operated at a fast pace.
Holicharan limped off in the 35th minute making way for Haokip and a sole Germanpreet Singh’s long-ranger which narrowly sailed over was all India boasted in the first half.
India: Aminder Singh (Captain); Pritam Kotal, Bikramjit Singh, Shankar Sampingraj, Deepak; Germanpreet Singh, Vinit Rai (Manish Bhargava – 90+), Siam Hangal, Avinash Rui Das (Prabir Das – 73rd), Jayesh Rane, Holicharan Narzary (Thongkhosiem Haokip – 35th).
Scoreline: U-23 INDIA lost to U23 SYRIA 4 (Mahmoud Almawas – 15th & 82nd, Omar Kharbin – 45+ and 63rd)
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