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Chinese (T)| Football Fiasco: Indian race against disgrace, 1-9 defeat by Kuwait |
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| Monday, 15 November 2010 18:56 | |
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The Indian national team suffered a 9-1 humiliation against West champions Kuwait in an international friendly played in Abu Dhabi on Sunday evening. Kuwait's star player Bader Al Mutawa scored four times while Youseef Nasser, Jarah Al Ataiqi, Fahad Al Enzi, KhaledKhalaf and Nayef Al Enzi bagged one goal each for the West Asian outfit. Mohammed Rafi scored India's only goal in an embarrassing showing by Bob Houghton's side. Bob Houghton named the same eleven that started in the 2-0 defeat against Iraq with Abhishek Yadav and Sushil Kumar Singh once again being the two forwards upfront as both Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri were still unavailable. Kuwait came into this as clear favourites as they are ranked 41 places above India in the FIFA Rankings and last month they lifted the prestigious West Asian Championships.
They took the lead after 19 minutes through 20 year old striker Youseef Nasser. The youngster scored twice in the 3-1 win over Vietnam last month so another international goal will definitely boost his chances of starting in the upcoming Gulf Nations Cup.
According to Iraq football expert Hassanin Mubarak, India was lucky to only lose 2-0 against Iraq as goalkeeper Subrata Paul produced a number of important saves. But in this game the Indian team was two down with only 24 minutes on the clock as Bader Al Mutawa made it 2-0.
Four minutes later it was 3-0 to the West Asian Champions as midfielder Jarah Al Ataiqi successfully converted his spot-kick.
India didn’t concede anymore goals in the remainder of the first half but at 3-0 the game was already over as a contest and it looked like only a matter of how many Kuwait would score.
Six minutes into the second period, Kuwait made it 4-0 through 22 year old midfielderFahad Al Enzi.
The Indian side showed no signs of a comeback or a fight as they conceded the fifth only four minutes later. Al Mutawa doubled his account as the Indian side looked helpless in Abu Dhabi.
It was 6-0 the very next minute as Khaled Khalaf also got on the scoresheet for Kuwait. With more than half an hour to go India was in danger of conceding in double figures.
Al-Mutawa completed his hat-trick in the 66th minute as India conceded seven for the first time since 2006.
Substitute Mohammed Rafi scored a consolation goal for Bob Houghton’s side in the 71st minute to make it 7-1.
But it only took four minutes for Kuwait to restore their seven goal advantage as Nayef Al Enzi scored the eighth.
Before this, India’s biggest loss under Bob Houghton was a 7-1 hammering at the hands of Saudi Arabia back in 2006 in a 2007 Asian Cup qualifier.
At 8-1, that record was already eclipsed and Al Mutawa further improved that by scoring his fourth of the game to make it 9-1 in the 90th minute.
The result is an absolute disgrace for Indian football and the embarrassing scoreline will certainly put fear in the minds of every Indian football follower as to how many India will concede in the 2011 Asian Cup, which is now less than two months away.
India next face UAE in Abu Dhabi on Thursday and a defeat in that game will see them lose four matches in a row and seven in nine international friendly matches after the expensive two-month long preparatory camp in Portugal.
The next release of the FIFA Rankings comes out a day before that, on the 17th and it remains to be seen how many places India drops. |
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