DPR Korea proved too good for India handing out a 5-2 defeat to the host in the Intercontinental Cup here on Saturday. Having lost the first outing 4-2 to Tajikistan, India’s chances of reaching the final is almost over.
The 3-0 lead that DPR Korea enjoyed in the opening half exposed the problems in the Indian defence. Stimac overhauled his roster yet again, bring nine new players as against the team side that played Tajikistan.
New defence set-up
With captain and striker Sunil Chhetri and midfielder Amarjit Singh Kiyam retaining their places, the coach tried a new defensive set-up bringing in seniors like Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose and Jerry Lalrinzuala in the right to left order.
Playing a new system with three-man attack, the Indian line-up suffered communication gaps giving its opponent enough space in the middle to make the build-ups. It was just a matter of time before the Indian citadel fell and it happened through a free-kick at the top of the box that was sent home by DPR Korea captain Jong Il Gwan in the eighth minute.
The goal prodded India out of its slumber, but Chhetri fluffed a clear opportunity in the 11th minute when he nodded over from the goalmouth.
More crisis
India slipped into further crisis conceding the second in the 16th minute when a confusion between Kotal and Jhingan in the defence saw Sim Jin making the most of it. The host conceded the third in the 29th minute when Gwan nodded in his second to make it 3-0.
Stimac overhauled the side after the break and exhausted the quota of six substitutions (this tournament being treated as a friendly) to bring back the young brigade. With the likes of Udanta Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Anirudh Thapa and Lallianzuala Chhangte back in the attack, the host’s performance improved as Chhangte pulled one back in the 51st minute.
But India’s problems in the defence persisted as Korea made it 4-1 in the 63rd minute through Ri Un Chol off a counter-attack.
Chhetri added one more to his tally of 70 international goals to make it 4-2 in the 71st minute, but it was all over for the host by then as Korea made it 5-2 in the injury-time to rub more salt in India’s wound.
The result: India 2 (Lallianzuala Chhangte 51, Sunil Chhetri 71) lost to DPR Korea 5 (Jong Il Gwan 8, 29, Sim Jin 16, Ri Un Chol 41, Ri Hyong Jin 90+2) .
