India’s young side fails to clear Thailand hurdle

Despite a crucial Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong on the road looming, and a lengthy domestic camp behind them, India conceded a two-goal loss on the road. Goals from Ben Davis and Poramet Arjivilai early in both halves handed Marquez’s team yet another loss in what has been a difficult period — 8 losses, 6 draws and 1 win against Maldives, since November 2023.

After a string of poor results to start his international tenure, Marquez chose a relatively young team against Thailand, who are in a similar boat as India and will face Turkmenistan in their 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Marquez didn’t just change the composition of the team, but played a formation he normally doesn’t choose.

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Sunil Chhetri and Ashique Kuruniyan started upfront for India, with Liston Colaco and Manvir Singh on the wings. Defensively too, going with Asish Rai, Anwar Ali and Abhishek Tekcham meant that India wanted pace in their backline, after their previous game against Bangladesh.

But Thailand and Ben Davis had other plans. India, never really comfortable playing through the midfield, started to do just so, but were getting caught out early under Thailand’s pressure. Davies opened the scoring for the home team in the eighth minute, converting a half volley right on the edge of the Indian box after a sideways pass from Korawich Tasa found him with space. India were caught slightly unawares, with a player down in the box and the Thai’s choosing to continue playing.

As the first half continued, India’s influence in the midfield grew – but it coincided with a drop in Thailand’s energy in chasing the ball. But even with that influence, came the poor decision-making in the final third, that has been the hallmark of this team.

It would either be a half-hearted cross into the box to Chhetri, a player who is usually surrounded by taller centre-backs, or it would be a long shot from outside the box – attempts that came from Liston Colaco and Ashique. There would be the occasional chance – Colaco’s run through the wing and then a slider into Chhetri should have come up with some dividends, but the Indian skipper got caught in the box amid too many bodies and couldn’t connect with the ball well enough. Tekcham took a shot from way outside the box with his right foot that whizzed past the post. But as the half dwindled, India continued to be a goal down.

That disadvantage doubled itself when Thailand scored in the 59th minute again. A few minutes earlier Chhetri had been denied a penalty and right as it seemed the away team was going to snake a goal in, Arjivirai came up with a moment of brilliance. Sliding in from the left, the Thai striker used his marker to curl a right-footed shot into Vishal Kaith’s goal – a shot that curved first, dipped later and then touched the underside of the crossbar before going into goal.

Two goals up and a game against Turkmenistan on the horizon, Thailand took their foot off the pedal. It led to India’s strongest period in the game, and a few chances followed. But Lallianzuala Changte wasn’t able to convert the simplest of one-on-ones against the Thai custodian when he was sent through on goal in the 79th minute and that missed opportunity was summed up.

Marquez’s team next face Hong Kong on the road, a crucial game where the Indian team needs to pick up a win to get their Asian Cup qualification on track.