AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers: India vs Tajikistan – 5 talking points as young Blue Tigers crash out

#1 Indian attackers lacked spark

Rahim Ali had a forgetful day

Coach Derrick Pereira opted for a 4-3-3 formation, bringing in Rahil Ali as the central forward, with Lallianzuala Chhangte and Komal Thatal operating from both the sides. The strategy was not fruitful and Chhangte and Thatal had a forgettable day.

Rahim, who played for Indian Arrows in the I-League, had not played every match for his side. He may have played the U-17 World Cup but doesn’t have many goals in his kitty. Putting him as a striker in this crucial match was a gamble, which didn’t work.

Thatal may have impressed with ATK but Tajikistan kept him under tight marking. As a result, he didn’t get enough space to make his trademark run. Chhangte was brilliant in the first half but sadly, he went missing in the next 45 minutes of the game. Daniel was introduced in the second half in place of Thatal but failed to leave a mark.