Manvir Singh and Amrinder Singh played crucial roles for India in their return to international football after a gap of 492 days, as Igor Stimac’s men held Oman 1-1 at the Maktoum Bin Rashid Stadium in Dubai, on Thursday.
Manvir rose highest to nod in Bipin Singh’s cross in the second half, cancelling out a first-half strike by Oman. Amrinder had a stellar game, saving a penalty, and making numerous saves to deny the rival forwards a second goal.
In the 26th minute, Rowlin Borges brought down Oman captain Abdulaziz Maqbali inside the penalty box. Abdulaziz stepped up to take the spot-kick, but goalkeeper Amrinder made a fine save.
Oman went ahead in the 43rd minute, when Chinglensana Singh tried to block a cross from the left by Al Akhbari. While the defender managed to get a foot onto the cross, the deflection, in the melee, hit Amrinder and trickled over the goalline.
India restored parity in the 55th minute. Ashutosh Mehta made a clever interception in the opposition half, soared up the right wing, and played Bipin Singh into the box. The latter lobbed in a cross for Manvir, whose perfect header went past the Omani keeper.
“In the second half we produced a much better performance,” Stimac, who handed international debuts to a record 10 players, said after the match.
India now face the UAE at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai on Monday.
