India 2-2 Iraq (4-5 after penalties): Player ratings for the Blue Tigers as they go down fighting

After a remarkable unbeaten streak of 11 games, India faced their first defeat as Iraq came from behind twice before securing a victory through a penalty shootout. As a result, they booked their place in the King’s Cup final, while the Blue Tigers will compete in the third-place playoff on Sunday.

Despite Iraq dominating possession in the early stages, it was India who unexpectedly took the lead. Sahal Abdul Samad's precise pass found Naorem Mahesh Singh, who slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.

However, their lead only lasted 10 minutes as Ali Al-Hamadi equalized from the penalty spot. Sandesh Jhingan was deemed to have handled the ball in the box, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Al-Hamadi stepped up and scored a confident penalty.

The start to the second half mirrored the first, and the Blue Tigers regained the lead when Iraq's goalkeeper Jalal Hassan committed a costly error. It appeared as though Hassan had safely secured Akash Mishra's low-driven cross, but the ball deflected off his hands and sneaked into the net.

However, Iraq started piling on the pressure late in the game, and it eventually paid dividends as Jhingan once again conceded a penalty, this time for a foul on Aymen Hussain. Hussain himself converted the spot-kick, making it 2-2 and setting the stage for a dramatic end.

The contest remained deadlocked at the end of regulation time, with the outcome to be determined by a penalty shootout. Unfortunately for India, Brandon Fernandes missed the pivotal penalty, while Iraq successfully converted all five of their spot-kicks, securing their place in the finals.

On that note, let’s take a look at how the Blue Tigers fared against Iraq.

India player ratings

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu [7]

India’s captain for the evening came up with a couple of crucial saves in both halves. Nonetheless, he was unable to replicate his performance in the penalty shootout, with Iraq successfully converting all five of their spot-kicks.

Nikhil Poojary [7]

Poojary struggled early in the game, with Iraq exploiting his lapses on a couple of occasions. Nevertheless, he gradually found his footing, successfully winning multiple duels on the left flank.

Furthermore, his well-timed overlapping runs added a fresh dynamic to India's attack.

Sandesh Jhingan [5]

Jhingan was a strong defensive presence and effectively provided cover for his center-back partner, Anwar Ali, on numerous occasions.

Nonetheless, his otherwise praiseworthy performance was marred by two penalty incidents, resulting in Iraq scoring twice.

Anwar Ali [9]

Ali is certainly in the form of his life. He caught the eye with his execution of passes, consistently driving India forward into the final third. His well-placed diagonal passes to the right flank also contributed to India's progression.

Akash Mishra [8.5]

Mishra was pinned back for large parts of the game, but he was a solid presence alongside Jhingan and Ali. He also ventured forward on a couple of occasions, creating a few opportunities in the first half.

Moreover, he played a role in the second goal, as his shot deflected off the goalkeeper and found the back of the net.

Jeakson Singh [8]

Sitting in front of the back four, Jeakson Singh nullified Iraq’s midfield brilliantly. His energy and physicality proved pivotal for India as he made several crucial tackles and interceptions.

Anirudh Thapa [7]

Thapa’s defensive contributions were a standout feature, as he covered a lot of ground across the pitch to help out the defenders. However, he struggled with his passing accuracy and was eventually replaced.

Sahal Abdul Samad [8.5]

Sahal has nicely slotted into the No. 10 role for India. Building on his outstanding performances in the previous two tournaments, he maintained his exceptional form by delivering a pinpoint through ball to set up Mahesh Singh.

Apart from the assist, Sahal retained the ball in tight spaces and his ability to wriggle past players was also on show.

Naorem Mahesh Singh [8]

Mahesh Singh's progress is evident with each passing match. He executed a superb run behind the defense and displayed remarkable composure to score a goal, giving India the advantage.

His overall performance was impressive, although he fiddled away in the second half.

Ashique Kuruniyan [6]

Ashique worked hard without the ball, but his decision-making when in possession was certainly not the best. He was eventually substituted around the hour mark.

Manvir Singh [7.5]

Replacing Sunil Chhetri is undoubtedly a challenging task, yet Manvir Singh effectively India’s attack. His movement and ability to retain possession were noteworthy, and his positional rotation with Mahesh Singh contributed to India's opening goal.

Substitutes

Rahim Ali [5]

Ali made minimal contributions to India's offensive efforts and was an anonymous presence for the last half-hour of the game. He, however, did well to convert his spot-kick.

Suresh Singh Wangjam [7]

Suresh Singh brought stability to the midfield and effectively closed the gaps while also marking the dangerous Zidane Iqbal when he entered the game.

Brandon Fernandes [5]

With India adopting a defensive stance, Fernandes saw limited opportunities to make an impact on the game. He failed to convert his penalty, which proved to be the difference in the end.

Rohit Kumar [6]

Kumar performed his role well during his time on the field, and his ball-carrying ability proved crucial for India in relieving pressure from Iraq's constant attacks.

Rahul KP [6]

Rahul’s defensive work was solid, although India did not make the most of his explosive qualities.

Mehtab Singh [N/A]

Mehtab arrived too late to mark.