AFC Asian Cup 2023: Audacious Indian resistance left undone by Gurpreet Singh error and Australia's profuse pedigree

Pitted against an absolute continental heavyweight in their AFC Asian Cup 2023 opener, the Indian men's national team produced a momentous first-half defensive display only for Australia to walk away with a 2-0 victory after taking a lead thanks to a lapse of judgment from Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on Saturday, January 13.

Jackson Irvine and Jordan Bos scored in the second half to secure three points for Graham Arnold's men at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan and climbed to the summit of Group B.

Unfazed by the sheer quality in the ranks of the former AFC Asian Cup champions, the Blue Tigers had a blistering start with Suresh Singh, who was slotted into the middle of the park, finding Lallianzuala Chhangte on the left flank in the third minute.

Despite being usually accustomed to playing on the opposite side, the Mumbai City winger exhibited the quality to drill in a curling cross, slightly ahead of Sunil Chhetri, who was racing into the penalty area.

A disciplined start from India gave rise to frustration at every step of the Socceroos. Igor Stimac's men invited the opposition to hoard possession in their half and almost picked Australia's defense on the counter in the 16th minute.

A deflected cross from Nikhil Poojary down the right flank evaded three towering opposition defenders and Chhetri reached the ball with an acrobatic header in a flash. The wily 39-year-old campaigner couldn't keep his effort on target, but the Blue Tigers had added a crease or two on Graham Arnold's forehead.

But a momentary lapse from Gurpreet Singh Sandhu almost undid the resilient display from the opening phase as the Indian numero uno sent the ball straight to an opposition forward. However, the veteran shot-stopper made amends with a save off a strike from Connor Metcalfe.

As the minutes rolled down, the 25-ranked nation established complete domination across every metric. Chance after chance, corner after corner, Australia kept chipping away at the Indian defense. But the physical specimen that is Sandesh Jhingan and a spirited Rahul Bheke laid their body on the line to thwart every approaching threat for the entirety of the 45 minutes and a little over six minutes of additional time.

Australia went to the dugout with 71 percent possession, 14 shots, and 12 corner kicks, yet not a single goal for the utter domination. The Chhetri-led outfit, hungrier than ever, more disciplined than ever, left their heart out on the pitch in the first half but had a sterner test awaiting after the break.

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Australia's relentless attacking effort leaves India overwhelmed in the second half

Both coaches, content with the constitution of their lineup, sent out an unchanged lineup in the second half. In terms of proceedings, they were not much altered as the Australian outfit continued to pile on the pressure. But a tragic blunder left the majority fraction of the fans in the stadium silenced as Jackson Irvine put the Socceroos ahead in the 50th minute.

The warning signs presented themselves in the first half itself when Gurpreet had a couple of clumsy moments between the posts, however, the opposition wasn't able to capitalize previously. But the Indian goalkeeper, in a moment of brain fade, timidly punched an incoming cross straight into the path of Irvine, who positioned himself well before stabbing the ball into the net and crushing the thousands of Indian hearts in the stadium and back in the country.

With their hopes of shutting down the Australian attack, Stimac's men ventured up the pitch in hopes of positive gains. And a freak goal almost arrived when the extensive pressing from the Blue Tigers forced a wayward backpass from the Australian backline, and with Mathew Ryan ill-positioned, for a brief moment the stadium erupted in ecstasy.

However, the course of the ball altered and the predicted course of the night resumed. Jordan Bos, who came on in the 72nd minute, buried a cutback from Riley McGree to produce a cushion goal.

Considering the stature of the opposition and the pre-match narrative, the Blue Tigers would be satisfied with the respectable scoreline and the goal difference that they have managed to walk away with.

The fixtures against Uzbekistan and Syria will provide a much more realistic shot at bagging a few crucial points and realizing the elusive dream of entering the knockout phase.