Tashkent [Uzbekistan], October 29 (ANI): India’s Paris Olympics goals ended on the Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Sunday, once they went down combating to Vietnam 1-3 within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament Group C encounter.
Having misplaced their second consecutive match in a row, India is now out of competition for the Olympics regardless of having a match in hand. In the primary match, India misplaced to former World Cup champions Japan.
Interestingly, all 4 targets of the afternoon have been scored with the heads of the respective scorers – Huyn Nhu, Tran Thi Hai Linh, and Pham Hai Yen for Vietnam, and Sandhiya Ranganathan for India.
Head coach Thomas Dennerby made 4 adjustments to the India beginning XI that performed in opposition to Japan, opting to subject Elangbam Panthoi Chanu in aim, whereas Ritu Rani slotted in at right-back as a substitute of an injured Dalima Chhibber. Soumya Guguloth and Manisha Kalyan have been additionally introduced in so as to add some tempo to the huge areas, as per a press launch from the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Bala Devi, who has been the star striker for India all through her profession, was posted as a deep-lying midfielder by Dennerby, whereas Soumya Guguloth and Anju Tamang saved switching between the centre-forward and the right-wing positions.
The experiment didn’t repay in opposition to Vietnam, nonetheless, because the opponents launched a barrage of assaults within the opening exchanges. Their captain and striker Huyn Nhu acquired on the scoresheet within the fourth minute itself, when some confusion between India centre-back Ashalata Devi and right-back Sanju resulted in a lack of possession. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung capitalised on the confusion and despatched in a cross from the correct flank, which was headed in by Nhu.
The Vietnam captain was a menace up entrance for the Indian defence, as she continually managed to get between the traces, and place herself correctly at no cost headers. Another effort by Nhu, a glancing header this time, thudded into the close to publish earlier than Bala cleared it. Minutes later, Panthoi needed to pull off a diving save off a free kick to maintain the 31-year-old ahead out.
Vietnam struck once more within the twenty second minute when an unmarked Tran Thi Hai Linh headed a Doung Thi Van cross from the correct, into the Indian aim.
India primarily relied on counter-attacks, Manisha being the first outlet together with her darting runs down the left. However, their finest probability got here from Bala, whose glancing shot off a Sanju nook trickled inches huge of the far publish. Their finest probability got here with round 10 minutes left for the half time break, when Manisha’s cross from the left was aimed toward Anju on the far publish. The latter headed it throughout the aim from a relatively acute angle, but it surely was simply past the attain of Soumya, who was wanting to pounce on it.
Bala moved again to the quantity 10 function within the later exchanges of the primary half, Soumya remaining up high, as Indumathi dropped deep. That modified, nonetheless, within the second half, as Dennerby introduced on Sangita Basfore instead of the 33-year-old striker, to behave as a protect for the defence after the change of ends. Astam Oraon additionally changed Ashalata, who was on a yellow.
While the adjustments did lend a specific amount of stability to the Indian defence, they did little to supply a lot pleasure in assault. Striker Renu was launched into the sport with round 20 minutes to go, to bolster the assault. However, a minute later, lightning struck thrice as Vietnam scored with their head once more. Substitute Pham Hai Yen was unmarked within the field this time, and made no mistake as she headed in a cross from the correct.
The third aim did change issues, as India introduced on Sandhiya Ranganathan and shifted to a 4-4-2, Renu and Manisha taking part in up entrance. The former pulled one again for India, as she ran onto a deep cross-field ball off a deep free-kick by Ritu Rani, and headed it previous an onrushing Vietnam keeper.
The momentum was now really in India’s favour because the battering ram strategy of the 2 strikers labored higher than their earlier extra nuanced makes an attempt. However, it was too late for the Blue Tigresses to overturn a two-goal deficit, as they suffered their second defeat in Tashkent. They play subsequent in opposition to hosts Uzbekistan on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.
India: Elangbam Panthoi Chanu (GK); Sanju, Ashalata Devi (C) (Astam Oraon 46′), Sweety Devi, Ritu Rani; Shilky Devi, Indumathi Kathiresan (Sandhiya Ranganathan 76′), Anju Tamang (Renu 72′); Manisha Kalyan, Bala Devi (Sangita Basfore 46′), Soumya Guguloth (Dangmei Grace 59′). (ANI)