India Exits Asian Games 2023 Football Tournament With A 2-0 Defeat Against Saudi Arabia

The Indian men’s football team was eliminated from the Asian Games 2023 following a 2-0 defeat by Saudi Arabia in their round of 16 match at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China on Thursday.

Both goals for Saudi Arabia were scored by Mohammed Khalil Marran (51’, 57’).

In the senior men’s football FIFA rankings, India is ranked 102nd worldwide, while Saudi Arabia is ranked 57th. However, men’s football tournaments at the Asian Games are under-23 affairs, with each team allowed a maximum of three players over the age limit.

On their path to the knockout stage, Sunil Chhetri and his team suffered a 5-1 defeat to China in the opener before securing a 1-0 victory against Bangladesh and holding Myanmar to a 1-1 draw. India finished second in Pool A, just behind China, securing a spot in the pre-quarterfinals.

Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, finished second in Pool B, following Iran, with two wins and a draw.

The Indian men’s football team, donning their traditional blue jerseys, began the match with a 4-4-2 formation and adopted a defensive approach. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia played long balls into the Indian half in an attempt to exert pressure on the Indian defense. The Indian defense, led by veteran Sandesh Jhingan, held strong to keep the Saudi forwards at bay.

Although Saudi Arabia enjoyed the majority of possession, India resorted to counterattacks and created two decent chances around the 15-minute mark.

Sunil Chhetri won the ball in the opponent’s half but his shot went directly to the Saudi goalkeeper. A few minutes later, the Indian captain located Sandesh Jhingan from a free-kick, but the Indian defender’s header was cleared off the goal line.

Following these opportunities, Saudi Arabia intensified their efforts. The Green Falcons came close to scoring the opening goal when Musab Al-Juwayr’s right-footed shot beat Indian goalkeeper Dheeraj but struck the woodwork.

Saudi Arabia launched waves of attacks into the Indian half, and the Indian backline had to resort to last-ditch defending to maintain a level scoreline.

In the closing minutes of the first half, Saudi Arabia nearly found the net when Zakaria Hawsawi entered the Indian half and took a shot on goal, only for Sandesh Jhingan to make a crucial block. The teams entered halftime without a goal.

The second half witnessed Saudi Arabia elevating their game, while India struggled to keep pace. After sustained pressure lasting five minutes, Saudi Arabia finally broke the deadlock with a header by Mohammed Khalil Marran, putting them in the lead.

Minutes later, Mohammed Khalil Marran was once again in the thick of the action, doubling Saudi Arabia’s lead. The forward received a through ball inside the Indian box, sidestepped the Indian keeper, and slotted the ball into the back of the net.

Following the second goal, the Saudi Arabian team comfortably controlled the game and secured the victory to advance to the final eight.

The exit of the Indian men’s team also marks the conclusion of India’s football campaign at Hangzhou 2023. The women’s team failed to progress beyond the group stage.

The Indian football team has previously won the gold medal twice (1951 and 1962) at the Asian Games. The last time the Indian team reached the round of 16 was in 2010, when they suffered a 5-0 defeat to Japan.