India fail to qualify for 2027 AFC Asian Cup after 1-2 loss to Singapore
Margao (PTI): India failed to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup after going down 1-2 to Singapore who rallied to humble the hosts with a brace from Korea-born attacking mid-fielder Song Ui-young in the third round qualification match here on Tuesday.
Lallianzuala Chhangte's 14th minute strike was cancelled out by Song's equalizer in the 44th minute, and then he struck what proved to be the winner, in the 58th minute as India were left to rue many missed chances.
The two teams were locked 1-1 at the half-time break at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, having played a 1-1 stalemate in the first leg in Singapore on October 9.
In the day's other Group C match, Hong Kong and Bangladesh shared the spoils after a 1-1 draw in Hong Kong, a result that did not help India's cause who entered the game with two points from three matches.
India were the dominant team in the first half and enjoyed long spells of possession, and it was appropriate that the Blue Tigers scored the opening goal in front of a lively home crowd.
Chhangte received the ball some distance away from the edge of the box and unleashed a screamer with his left foot that beat the Singapore goalkeeper on its way to the back of the net.
However, Song had other ideas as he struck twice in ether side of the break to dash Indian hopes.
Just before the interval, Singapore struck back against the run of play courtesy Song, who found space inside the Indian box and kept his composure to level the score at 1–1, the equaliser leaving the Indian players distraught for they were the ones dictating play for most parts of the first half.
On resumption, the visitors looked much sharper and more confident thanks to that equaliser, and they were rewarded when Song capitalised on India's defensive lapse to slot the ball home from close range and put his side ahead 2–1.
Desperate for an equaliser, India head coach Khalid Jamil made plenty of substitutions hoping to inject some pace and urgency, bringing Rahim Ali and Udanta Singh in place of Liston Colaco and Sunil Chhetri. But all these changes did not work as India ended on the wrong side of the result.
Brandon Fernandes missed out on a great chance to restore parity for India on the 90th minute after excellent work from Udanta Singh and Rahul Bheke. He hit the ball wide with his weaker foot with the goal at his mercy.
Only the group winner will qualify for the Asian Cup and Hong Kong and Singapore currently lead the table with eight points each.
Coming into the game with just two points from three matches, India needed nothing less than a win to stay in contention for the top spot in the group.
India also missed couple of chances in the first half, during a period of play when they were dominating the contest.
Jamil attributed the defeat, and rightly so, to "lack of concentration" on part of the India players, who have endured another disappointing campaign.
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Prasidh, Kuldeep limit South Africa to 270 after De Kock's hundred
Visakhapatnam (PTI): India fought back gallantly through Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav after Quinton de Kock struck his 23rd hundred, keeping South Africa to a manageable 270 in the third and series-deciding final ODI, here Saturday.
India won the toss after judging the spin of the coin incorrectly 20 times in a row. They had little hesitation in inserting the Proteas into bat, a clear indication of dew factor dominating the thought.
After Arshdeep Singh sent back Ryan Rickelton early, De Kock (106, 89b, 8x4, 6x4) struck his seventh century against India and put on 113 runs off 124 balls with skipper Temba Bavuma (48, 67b) as the visitors moved to a healthy position.
De Kock was severe on Prasidh (4/66), who erred on length continuously in his first spell (2-0-27-0). The left-hander biffed the pacer for 6, 6, 4 in his second over to milk 18 runs.
The 32-year-old quickly pounced on anything that was short, and pacers Prasidh and Harshit offered him plenty of feed on his pet areas.
Bavuma was more sedate, and made runs through those typical dabs and jabs, occasionally unfurling a drive of elan.
De Kock moved to fifty in 42 balls, and never let the tempo down reaching his hundred in 79 balls.
India found temporary relief when Ravindra Jadeja induced a false slash from Bavuma to get caught by Virat Kohli at point.
The tourists got another move on through a 54-run partnership between De Kock and Matthew Breetzkle for the third wicket, and at 168 for two in 28 overs they were in a good position to press on.
But Breetzke's punishment of part-time spinner Tilak Varma forced a rethink in the Indian camp, as skipper KL Rahul brought back Prasidh for a second spell.
What a masterstroke it turned out to be! The Karnataka man broke the back of South Africa’s top and middle order in an exceptional second spell (4-0-11-3).
Breetzke was the first man to go, trapped plumb in front with a straight one and four balls later Aiden Markram uppishly chipped a fuller delivery to Kohli at short covers.
Prasidh soon castled De Kock, whose ugly cross-batted swipe failed to connect a full length delivery from the pacer.
All of a sudden, SA found themselves at a shaky 199 for five, losing three wickets in the space of three overs.
Once Prasidh was done away with the top and middle-order, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep (4/41) took over and mopped up the tail as SA fell short of even a par total on this track.
