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India vs China, Asian Games Live Score: India are the clear underdogs against formidable China in their Asian Games group game, given the Indian men’s football team are playing their opening match without any training session and proper rest after the last-minute announcement of the squad.
India were able to stitch a rag-tag final squad only on Friday and the team left for China on Sunday, leaving no time for the players to even have a training session together.
Moreover, two players — defenders Konsam Chinglensana Singh and Lalchungnunga — out of the 22 players picked will join later as their visas were not
39′ – Nervy! Zhu Chenjie makes a late run from th nehind to meet the corner as Gurmeet Singh fumbles in gathering the ball.
33′ – India have managed to settle down and are finally playing their small passes in mid-field to move up the pitch.
27′ – Chance! Abdul Rabeeh fdoes brilliantly to chase down his own pass down the left wing. China manage to get it cleared only to Sunil Chhetri, who dinks it over to Rahum Ali. His firsty-tie acrobatic shot though is well wide.
24′ – PENALTY SAVE! China get a penalty as Gurmeet Singh brings down Tan Long and received a yeloow card.
The Indian keeper saves the penalty, picking the right side to jump.
15′ – GOAL! Tianyi Gao opens the scoring for the hosts as poor defending lets India down.
The Chinese is the fastest to react to a stray header inside penalty box and coverts the chance from close range.
14′ – After China lost possession in their third, with the missed pass landing at the feet of Sunil Chhetri. He takes a short from some distance that fizzes just over the bar.
Barely a minute later, China springs an attack from the right, as the cross finds Long with only the keeper to beat but Gurmeet stands strong and Sandesh Jhingan clears it out for a corner.
10′ – India’s passing has been dodgy and rarely on the mark. Not surprising that they are playing without sleep and are likely to be tired. Also, this is the first time most are playing with each other for the first time.
6′ – Tan Long’s gets a free header but his effort was straight at Gurmeet in the Indian goal. Danger averted. India need to be careful as the defence looks shaky.
4′ – India have been poor in keeping the ball as China are the ones who have been more attacking in the opening exchanges of the encounter. Tan Long’s shots from the left of the penalty box just flew wide of the Indian goal.
KICK OFF! We are underway at the Tianhe Stadium as the Indian men’s football team look to get their Asian Games campaign underway on a psotive note against hosts China.
Here is China’s starting line-up:
Han Jiaqi (GK), Liu Yang, Jiang Shenlong, Zhu Chenjie (C), Wang Zhenao, Xu Haoyang, Wang Haijian, Gao Tianyi, Tao Qianglong, Dai Weijun, Tan Long
Igor Stimac names India’s starting line-up:
Gurmeet Singh, Lalchungnunga, Sandesh Jhingan, Ayush Chhetri, Sumit Rathi, Amarjit Singh, Rahim Ali, Rahul KP, Sunil Chhetri, Bryce Miranda, Abdul Anjukandan
Over in Hangzhou, here's how the #BlueTigers 🐯 will line up 📄
📺 @SonySportsNetwk & @SonyLIV#CHNIND ⚔️ #19thAsianGames 🏅 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/MVsXEqyHif
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 19, 2023
The last time India and China met in the Asian Games was in the 2002 edition in Busan, Korea, where India lost 0-2. The then Indian team had the likes of Bhaichung Bhutia, Shanmugam Venkatesh, Jo Paul Ancheri, Renedy Singh and current assistant coach Mahesh Gawli.
India caoch Igor Stimac said he may have to rest Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan for the opening clash.
“We have a flight at 10 pm today, reach Hong Kong at 7 am. Take another flight to Hangzhou, and reach at 5 pm. We will give tactical preparation at the airport or flight. We will not have a single training session before the game against China. We need to let players rest after we reach,” Stimac said in an interaction with the media on Sunday.
“Not thinking too much about the China game. Thinking about the Bangladesh and Myanmar games. Don’t be surprised if I leave out Sunil (Chhetri) and (Sandesh) Jhingan out for the first game against China,” he added
Indian men’s football team start their campaign in the Asian Games and first up is the host nation, China.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 💪#IndianFootball is back at the Asian Games after 9️⃣ years 🇮🇳💙
The Indian Men's team face China in Group A's opening match 🇨🇳
🕔 17:00 IST🏟️ Huanglong Sports Centre, Hangzhou📺 @SonySportsNetwk & @SonyLIV#CHNIND ⚔️ #19thAsianGames 🏅 pic.twitter.com/RMHDROw5SO
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 19, 2023
In any case, the duo will not be available for the Group A match against China on Tuesday and that will be a blow for India. Also head coach Igor Stimac said on Sunday that senior defender Sandesh Jhingan and talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri will not play the opening match to save them for the later two matches.
Chhetri has started training just a couple of weeks ago as he needed time with his family after becoming a father recently.
Stimac’s move is understandable as India have more chance to win against Bangladesh (September 21) and Myanmar (September 24) than against China, and considering that the team will take on the hosts without proper rest and training. The head coach was forced to have strategy sessions inside the aircraft and at the airport.
It will have to be seen whether Stimac sticks to what he had said or field Jhingan as defenders Chinglensana and Lalchungnunga will not be available for Tuesday’s match. Already, he is facing the problem of full backs and central midfielders as he lamented on Sunday.
Even otherwise, China are a much stronger side than India at the continental stage, and they will also have the advantage of playing at a familiar surroundings at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium. For India, on the other hand, their first outdoor activity could be the match.