A spirited Bangladesh side held India to a 1-1 draw in a crucial World Cup 2022 qualifier on Tuesday at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata in a result that will do no good to either team's chances of progressing.
Saad Uddin gave Bangladesh the lead in the 42nd minute after a horrendous error by India custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The Blue Tigers toiled hard to find a way back into the game and had to wait until late on for Adil Khan to head in an equaliser from a corner in the 88th minute.
India, who were listless for the majority of the game, tried hard to force a winner in injury time but had to ultimately settle for a point that takes their tally in the group to two points from three games.
India coach Igor Stimac made three changes in his starting XI which held Qatar to a goalless draw a month back in Doha. Sunil Chhetri, Ashique Kuruniyan and Anas Edathodika came back into the lineup replacing Sandesh Jhingan, Rowllin Borges and Nikhil Poojary. Stimac started with a 4-4-2 formation with Ashique and Udanta on the wings and Manvir partnering Sunil Chhetri upfront.
His opposite number Jamie Day fielded an unchanged Bangladeshi XI from their previous match. But he tweaked the usual 4-4-2 formation and fielded his team in a defensive 4-1-4-1 formation with skipper Jamal Bhuyan in the defensive midfield role and Mohammad Jibon as the lone striker.
Bangladesh’s defensive approach did not allow India to play their usual passing football. Even though the Blue Tigers dominated proceedings throughout the first half, they mostly resorted to long balls.India got multiple opportunities to break the deadlock but the Yeasin Khan-led defence stood firm and denied the hosts from creating chances.
Against the run of play, the visitors took the lead at the stroke of half time. Saad Uddin found the back of the net with a free header after Gurpreet misjudged the flight of the ball and completely missed Jamal Bhuyan’s free-kick.
Bangladesh twice came close to extend their lead in the second half. In the 51st minute, Jibon received a through ball from Ibrahim and found himself one-on-one with Gurpreet but failed to put the ball past the Indian custodian.
In the 55th minute, Ibrahim attempted a cross-cum-shot from the left flank but unfortunately it hit the crossbar and came back. Sandhu had absolutely no chance had the ball been on target.
Igor Stimac went all guns blazing in the final 30 minutes of the match. India played with a two-man defence as they looked desperate to find an equaliser.
Their persistence paid off as Adil Khan pulled one back in the 88th minute with a header from Brandon Fernandes' corner.
Sunil Chhetri and Manvir Singh came very close to score the second goal in the final few moments of the match but failed to keep their shots on target.
India remained at the fourth position on the group table after today's match with two points from three games while Bangladesh continue to languish at the bottom with one point from the same number of matches.
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