Singapore: India failed to maintain their recent impressive form as they went down 0-2 to Singapore in their international football friendly match on Tuesday.
India were clearly the better side in the opening half, but they conceded a goal in the 43rd minute, scored by Khairul Amri, against the run of play and from then on the visitors were doing a catch-up job.
Wim Koevermans’ boys were expected to come out hard, but they let in another goal soon after the resumption of play to make their hopes of a comeback much more difficult.
Fazrul Amri fired in Singapore’s second goal in the 49th minute in front of 3,000 spectators, a large proportion of them Indian.
Coming into the match with their confidence on a high after their recent Nehru Cup triumph, the Indians, however, lacked fighting spirit as they could not lift themselves up from the first goal jolt.
This was the first defeat for the Indian team away under Koevermans and the second loss under the Dutch coach after the one against Cameroon in the Nehru Cup league stage.
India, ranked 168th in the world and who were playing their first international friendly on a FIFA date after quite some time, dominated the first half and pressed hard for an early goal by switching flanks, but they failed to get the desired result.
Captain Sunil Chhetri, Clifford Miranda and Sanju Pradhan combined well to make some dangerous moves but did not get a clear opening.
Chhetri was not at his best. He also suffered a slight niggle during the match and was eventually replaced by Robin Singh just after the hour mark.
Early in the match, Mehtab Hossain broke into the Singapore box in the ninth minute, but rival defender Harris Harun recovered in time to scuttle his cross.
The very next minute, Miranda latched on a defensive lapse but Harun managed to flick the ball away at the last minute to prevent Chhetri from pulling the trigger.
With six substitutions allowed, Koevermans brought in Anthony Pereira in the 77th minute in place of Miranda and three minutes later, there was another double substitution – Joaquim Abranches replacing Mehtab Hossain and Denzil Franco coming in place of Syed Rahim Nabi in the 80th minute.
The move earned more thrust and a Francis Fernandes corner was gathered well by Mahbud and another went abegging.
It was an uphill task and, despite India going all out, Singapore’s defence kept everything at bay till the final whistle. (PTI)