FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Iran 4-0 India - Five Talking Points

India sorely missed a reference point up front

In the build up to tonight’s encounter, Coach Constantine has stressed about how his sided would have to do most of the chasing and that’s exactly what transpired. Iran flooded numbers in attack and pressured the visitors on to the back foot from minute one.

As a result, India’s front two of Jeje and Udanta cut lonely figures and were rarely called into action. Among the few times that India did manage to get back possession, they were thwarted in the final third by Iran’s imposing defenders.

The absence of a holdup striker meant that the visitors never got going when they were allowed to break. Udanta and Jeje needed someone to play off. Unfortunately for them, they never got that tonight.