The Indian football team drew 0-0 with Mauritius in their first match of the Intercontinental Cup 2024, held at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Manolo Márquez made his debut as head coach, with India controlling possession but struggling to break down the 179th-ranked opponents. Despite dominating the ball, India only managed one shot on target throughout the match. Mauritius defended resolutely, earning a well-deserved point.
Match Overview:
India started the match with a calm, patient approach. The crowd in Hyderabad, witnessing the Blue Tigers after 16 years, cheered every pass. The first real chance came in the 6th minute when Anirudh Thapa’s corner skimmed Manvir Singh’s head, nearly falling to Chinglensana Singh at the back post, but he missed the ball by a whisker.
Mauritius was content to sit back and defend but looked dangerous on the counter. Jordan François caused problems with crosses from the right. In the 20th minute, Asish Rai slipped, allowing Yannick Aristide to cross. Luckily, no Mauritian player could tap it in. Four minutes later, another mistake from Lalengmawia gave Quentin Lalsing a chance, but his shot from 30 yards was easily saved by Amrinder Singh.
India began to press harder as the first half went on. In the 35th minute, Thapa found Manvir Singh in the box, and he forced a save from Kevin Jean-Louis with a left-footed shot from a tight angle. Mauritius had their best chance in the 37th minute, when Dyllan Collard set up Emmanuel Vincent, but the shot flew just over the bar.
India nearly scored again just before halftime. Jay Gupta crossed to Thapa, who couldn’t control the ball. Manvir Singh had a chance but was dispossessed before shooting.
Second Half:
Márquez made two substitutions at halftime, bringing on Sahal Abdul Samad and Nandhakumar Sekar to add fresh energy to the attack. Less than a minute after the restart, Chhangte swung in a cross, but Jean-Louis needed two attempts to clear it.
In the 54th minute, Jérémy Villeneuve set up Lalsing, but his shot missed wide. Substitute Aurélien François had two chances. First, he headed a Gabriel Caliste cross wide, and then he blasted a shot over the bar from an excellent pass by Adrien Botlar.
The game shifted back to India in the final 15 minutes. Suresh Singh Wangjam and Subhasish Bose brought more energy to the attack. Nandhakumar Sekar found space on the left and delivered a cross in the 79th minute, but Collard cleared it before Chhangte could reach it. From the resulting corner, Sahal chested the ball down, but his volley went wide.
In the final minutes, Sahal created a chance for Nandhakumar, but Jordan François made a crucial tackle to deny India a shot at goal.
Conclusion:
Mauritius held on for a valuable point. Their captain, Lyndsay Rose, earned Player of the Match for his strong defensive display. India will need to be more clinical in future matches, as their lack of finishing hurt their chances of winning.
India XI:
- Goalkeeper: Amrinder Singh
- Defenders: Asish Rai (Nikhil Poojary 79′), Rahul Bheke (C), Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Jay Gupta (Subhasish Bose 72′)
- Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa (Sahal Abdul Samad 46′), Lalengmawia (Suresh Singh Wangjam 66′), Jeakson Singh Thounaojam
- Forwards: Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco (Nandhakumar Sekar 46′)
India will now look to bounce back in their remaining Intercontinental Cup matches.
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