Syria Triumphs Over India in Intercontinental Cup Victory
Victory was claimed by Syria with a 3-0 win over India during the Intercontinental Cup on Monday evening in Hyderabad, causing India's tumultuous 2024 to persist. The Indian team fought hard, offering a more dominant performance than their recent defeat to Mauritius, which was overshadowed by the critical goals scored by Syria.
India opened the game on the back foot, down by two or three goals within the initial 15 minutes. Syria's Mahmoud Alaswad secured the first goal, assisted by Daleho Irandust's relentless right-sided attack and inefficient Indian defense. Following Syrian threats by Noah Shamoun and Irandust's shot against the bar, Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu defended the attacks.
Indian coach Manolo Marquez expressed disappointment over the fearful approach in the first half, emphasizing the need for bravery. However, Marquez was pleased with the bold second-half, recognized by the increasing chances and forceful saves by Syrian keeper Elias Hadaya.
Despite Syria's two counter-attack goals and a final shot by Pablo Sabbag during the second half, Marquez praised his team's committed play and improved possession. While acknowledging the scoreboard's failure to reflect the game's true story, he concurred that India deserved at least one goal for their efforts.
India's ongoing struggle to secure victories in 2024 is not deterring Marquez's positive outlook. The coach anticipates the team to further elevate their game in the forthcoming matches against Vietnam and Lebanon. Marquez is focused on garnering the first win of the year, inspired by the evident improvement demonstrated in the game against Syria.
