International Friendly: India 1-1 Philippines – Hosts hold higher-ranked Azkals to a draw

India 1 (Sunil 41)

Philippines 1 (P Younghusband 42)

India: Karanjit Singh, Denzil Franco, Aibor Khongjee, Arnab Mondal, Gurjinder Kumar, Francis Fernandes, Lenny Rodrigues, Mehtab Hossain, Clifford Miranda, Sunil Chhetri, Robin Singh (Jeje Lalpekhlua 77)

Philippines: Roland Mueller; Ray Jonsson, Rob Gier, Juan Guirado, Jeffrey Christiaens; James Younghusband (Angel Guirado 66), Jerry Lucena, Chris Greatwich, Stefan Schrock, Patrick Reichelt (Angeles Janver 63), Phil Younghusband

The Indian national team held a higher-ranked Philippines side 1-1 in an international friendly at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri on Friday evening. Captain Sunil Chhetri gave India the lead in the first half but Philippines equalised almost immediately through former Chelsea youth player Phil Younghusband.

Philippines dominated the possession in the second half but both sides had chances to win the game with India’s Jeje Lalpekhlua failing to score from three yards in stoppage time. India next face Nepal in the same venue on Tuesday.

India coach Wim Koevermans handed Aibor Khongjee his international debut as the Mohun Bagan player started in central defence alongside East Bengal’s Arnab Mondal. The Dutchman once again opted for a 4-4-1-1 system with Sunil starting behind lone striker Robin Singh.

There were no real surprises in the Philippines lineup but former Salgaocar striker Angel Guirado was only named on the bench with Eintracht Frankurt’s Stephan Schrock starting in a number ten role behind forward Phil Younghusband.

Both sides took their time to settle into the game with Philippines winning plenty of freekicks in the Indian half. But the visitors couldn’t make the most from those set pieces and instead it was India who had the first big chance of the game.

Skipper Sunil got away from his marker and took a shot from just outside the box which was well saved by Philippines’ German-born goalkeeper Roland Mueller while Francis Fernandes failed to hit the target from the rebound.

India were enjoying a good spell of pressure around the half hour mark but could have conceded when a lucky deflection saw Phil Younghusband clean through on goal. The Philippines striker went past India goalkeeper Karanjit Singh but debutant Khongjee saved the hosts with a brilliant block. Straight at the other end Sunil headed wide from close range after some nice work by Clifford Miranda on the left flank.

Philippines dominated possession for the rest of the first half with Schrock looking a class apart with his movement and trickery. But it was India who went in front when Sunil headed home Mehtab Hossain’s well-measured in-swinging corner. The India skipper showed great movement to get away from a couple of Philippines defenders and scored with a thumping header.

The attendance was around 15000 in the ground and the goal brought great joy to the fans but while they were celebrating Philippines equalised. Straight from kickoff, the Azkals caught out India with a quick move as James Younghusband found his younger brother Phil free inside the box and the forward easily slotted past Karanjit.

India had matched the Philippines in the first half and could have easily gone into the break leading had they been a bit more focused after scoring.

Philippines looked tired at the start of the second half as they were possibly feeling the effects of some intense travelling in the last few days. But India couldn’t capitalise as they kept giving the ball away easily and didn’t look like scoring as Philippines keeper Mueller wasn’t tested at all.

Midway through the second period, Philippines’ German coach Michael Weiss introduced fresh legs including ex-Salgaocar man Angel Guirado. The South-East Asian nation raised the tempo of their game following those changes and made the Indian defence work really hard.

Philippines thought they had scored when Phil Younghusband got on the end of a low cross from Schrock and found the back of the net. But the English-born striker was adjudged offside much to the relief of the entire stadium.

Both Indian central defenders Khongjee and Arnab needed to make last-ditch challenges as Philippines started to create plenty of chances. India custodian Karanjit also had to make a world class save to deny Phil Younghusband.

India were hanging on towards the end but could have easily won the game in stoppage time. A deep cross from Denzil Franco was headed back into the danger area by Clifford but substitute Jeje, who came on after Robin looked to have pulled his hamstring, headed over the bar from three yards despite being unmarked.

The hosts will certainly regret that late missed opportunity from Jeje but on paper they were the underdogs in this clash and thus will be happy to get a draw.