India U-23 1-0 Pakistan U-23 – Five talking points

Francis performance a concern

Wim Koevermans will be hoping for an improvement from Francis

The India U-23 squad lacks quality and experience in wide midfield positions but former Salgaocar skipper Francis Fernandes is an exception as the winger has been one of India’s best players in the last three years. But the Delhi Dynamos recruit produced one of his worst displays on Sunday as he struggled to get involved in the game despite playing for almost an hour and looked untidy in possession as he gave away the ball cheaply on several occasions. Perhaps a lack of pre-season is a factor behind Francis’ poor performance as he didn’t look completely fit and thus was replaced by the inexperienced Semilen Doungel. With Koevermans not having too many other options, Francis will be looking to improve his form and fitness quickly and take more responsibility being one of the three seniors.