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1. Failure to qualify for AFC Challenge Cup
India’s hopes of playing in the 2015 Asian Cup ended prematurely
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It wasn’t a good year for the Indian national team as they failed to retain the SAFF Championship and managed only five wins in 12 matches overall with all those victories coming against lower-ranked opposition. But the biggest disappointment was the failure to qualify for the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup which prematurely ended their hopes of playing in the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia.
India have been going backwards since the 2011 Asian Cup largely because the current team is in transition but they were still expected to feature in the final rounds of the Challenge Cup. India couldn’t get the draw that they needed in the final qualifying game against hosts Myanmar and were beaten 1-0 in a woeful display. The performances were poor in the group stage of the SAFF Championship also but thankfully Koevermans’ side improved in the knockout games and in the year’s final two international friendlies in Siliguri.
