A fatigued and under-prepared Indian football team got a rude reality check with hosts China out-muscling them 5-1 in an opening group league encounter of the Asian Games here on Tuesday.
Giao Tianyi (17th min), Dai Weijun (51st min), Tao Qianglong (72nd and 75th minute) and Hao Fang (90+2) scored for the hosts, while Rahul KP’s (45+1 minute) equaliser from an acute angle was possibly the best strike of the match.
It was heartening to see a third-string team holding the title contenders on an even keel during the first 45 minutes, which saw Indian custodian Gurmeet Singh Chahal valiantly save a spot-kick taken by rival captain Zhu Chenjie.
India now need to beat Bangladesh and Myanmar in their remaining two games to qualify for the second round. Myanmar beat Bangladesh 4-2 in another game in this group.
Having reached the Games Village late on Monday evening, the Indian team, with not even four specialist defenders in their ranks, didn’t have enough coordination amongst themselves. They looked jet-lagged, not rested enough and there was no way that there could have been a miracle.
The gulf in class and quality was evident and most of the Chinese attacks happened from India’s wide left (China’s right flank) side, which was being manned by Sumit Rathi.
Also, the humidity and lack of training time had an effect as the Indians didn’t have the legs to last beyond the first hour. And, once the second goal was scored due to Sandesh Jhingan’s poor anticipation, the floodgates opened.
Jhingan was also responsible for another goal when he had a brain fade and wanted to dribble his team past the danger in his own penalty box and committed harakiri.
A lot of players suffered from cramps due to humidity and, obviously, not having enough time to warm up.
Skipper Sunil Chhetri was on the pitch for 85 minutes and, save a pile driver that sailed way over the horizontal, he had precious little to do with a literally non-existent feeder line.
The only silverlining was the goal by Rahul KP, the former U-17 World Cupper, who was freed on the wide right by Abdul Rabeeh and the Kerala Blasters player sprinted and smashed it in from near-zero degree, much to the awe of a capacity home crowd.
Indians went into the break 1-1 but the wheels came off in the second half.
Easy victory
India put up a dominant performance to outclass Cambodia 3-0 in their opening match of the men’s volleyball competition at the Asian Games.
(Picture top) The Indian volleyball team during the Asian Games match against Cambodia and (bottom) after their three-set victory on Tuesday Pictures shared on X
India comfortably defeated lower-ranked Cambodia 25-14, 25-13, 25-19 in a Pool C match.
But a stern test awaits India on Wednesday as they will be up against world No. 27 South Korea, the other team in Pool C.
A total of 19 teams are participating in men’s volleyball at the Hangzhou Games. Japan, China and South Korea are regarded as the three major powerhouses of the competition.
The Indian men have won a total of three volleyball medals so far. Their best performance came in 1962 when they were runners-up. India’s other two medals were bronze medals won in 1958 and 1986.
With inputs from PTI
