Couldn’t capitalize on chances we got, laments Sunil Chhetri
AIFF
India football skipper Sunil Chhetri has admitted that the Blue Tigers had gotten numerous chances in their FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers match against Bangladesh which they failed to capitalize on. With their second draw in the group stages, India now have just two points from the first 3 matches.
India had a disappointing outing against Bangladesh on Tuesday at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, where a must-win match for the side saw the team only managing a draw and that too in the dying minutes. After Bangladesh’s Saad Uddin header put the visitors ahead following a goalkeeping howler by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, it was Adil Khan whose late goal saved India the blushes.
However, India got numerous chances throughout the match with full back Rahul Bheke getting as early as the opening minutes after he won a header from a corner. Manvir Singh and Sunil Chhetri also got numerous chances to make a mark in the match but they failed miserably.
Coach Igor Stimac was equally to be blamed for his management and team selection, but he did rectify his mistake in the second half by getting in playmaker Brandon Fernandes in place of Mandar Rao Dessai, while winger Lallianzuala Chhangte came on for center-back Anas Edathodika. But in the end, it mattered little.
India’s last chance came with four minutes of injury time left and Chhetri laid off an easy finish for Manvir Singh, who volleyed it wide. That was the end for the side and the skipper has stated, on social media, that the dressing room was upset with their display.
We couldn't deliver a performance to match the atmosphere at the Salt Lake last night, and the dressing room is very disappointed about it. We couldn’t capitalise on the chances we got,but this is a process on the pitch and in the stands. You turned up, we'll keep attempting to.
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) October 16, 2019
