India vs Syria: Syria Dominates with 3-0 Victory in International Friendly
Syria defeated India 3-0 in a friendly on September 9, 2024. At a packed venue, the attack of Syria dominated against the country’s men, who were fighting hard to stop the opposition time and again as Syria netted three goals through Mahmoud Al-Aswad, Daleho Irandust, and Pedro Sabbag.
Early Blow: Mahmoud Al-Aswad Opens the Scoring
Syria was in front in the opening 10 minutes of the game, taking an early control of the match. Mahmoud Al-Aswad finds the net in the 7th minute. A swift counter-attack by the Syrian forward saw the Indian defense go flat-footed as his low shot beat the Indian goalkeeper to give Syria the lead in less than 10 minutes.
They were then caught off guard by the quick start for India as they tried to regroup afterwards. However, the early goal set the tone as with substantial pressure from the Indian side, they could not manage clear chances throughout the first half.
INDIA FAIL TO BREAK THROUGH
Under Igor Štimac, there had been glimpses of what this Indian team might promise, but far too often on this pitch, they simply could not maintain possession in any area of consequence. The Syrians harried and won midfield battles time and again. The forwards of India had limited chances, and on those few instances when they did break into the attacking third, Syria’s defense held firm.
The Indian crowd was passionate and vocal throughout the match as they cheered to spur their team forward. But India failed to capitalize on all that energy of the fans. At each instance, frustration started to grow as their attempt at goal was either blocked or wide off the mark. One of the best opportunities for India came in the 35th minute when Sahal Abdul Samad shot from distance. He had it easy for the Syrian goalkeeper to save.
Second Half: Syria Steps Up the Pressure
Syria was into full throttle in the second half of play intent on scoring more. Sandesh Jhingan was in his element to ensure Indian defenders were at their duties to keep Syria at bay, but the pressure was turning out to be a deluge. For the pace at which Syria attacked, and the grip it had on midfield, they had possession for large parts of the game.
This time again, it was in the 77-minute mark that Syria’s persistence got rewarded. It was Daleho Irandust who doubled the lead for them with a well-taken goal. Following a slick passing move, Irandust found space inside the box to curl a shot past the Indian goalkeeper. The goal was a product of Syria’s composed play to exploit gaps in India’s defense that were beginning to open up in the course of the game.
Attempt to Rally by India:
It was two-nil down, and India never gave up there and continued piling on pressure for goals. Changes brought in by Štimac saw fresh legs come into the team as inclusions of young guns like Jeakson Singh and Rahim Ali added energy into the attack. But this Syrian defense, marshaled by experienced defenders, stood firm as India were denied any clear-cut chances.
The closest India came to scoring was a set piece in the 85th minute when a curling freekick from Anirudh Thapa forced a diving save from the Syrian goalkeeper, but that was as close as India got to pulling one back.
Injury-Time Heartbreak: Pedro Sabbag Seals the Win
Deep in injury time, Syria finally got the third goal as the game neared its conclusion. Pedro Sabbag got hold of a defensive slip-up by India in the 90+6th minute as India moved men forward in a last ditch attempt to get on the scoresheet. Sabbag was left free inside the box before calmly slotting home to make it 3-0.
In fact, the third goal buried all chances of a late Indian comeback, and it was a case of the Syrian players celebrating the stunning win on foreign turf.
Post-Match Reactions
After the match, India’s coach Igor Štimac acknowledged the deficiencies of his side in a sweet tone. “We struggled today against a strong Syrian side, but it is a learning experience. We have some positives to take from here, especially with some of the younger players gaining valuable match time.”
Meanwhile, Syria’s coach was beaming with confidence after the match: “It was a solid display. We dominated from start to finish, and the goals reflect our hard work. This win will give us confidence as we continue our preparations for upcoming competitions.”
Fan Poll and Reactions
A pre-match poll carried out by this newspaper had indicated mixed expectations among the fans: 40 percent of the 547 voters had expected a draw, 36 percent expected an Indian victory while 24 percent believed Syria would triumph. The result was, however, to go against the grain and disappoint the Indian fans, who saw Syria prove too strong for the home team.
The reaction poured in on social media from both sets of fans: disappointment at the lack of creativity in attack was what the Indian fans were looking at, while the Syrian fans hailed their team’s dominance. Most of the Indian fans were only hoping the performances would get better, with some calling for tactical changes in future matches.
Conclusion: A Harsh Lesson for India
The defeat at the hands of Syria was a bitter pill for India to swallow, but again it showed the gray areas that need improvement. Clinical finishing and solid defensive organization gave Syria a win and points to take home, while India need to work on attacking play and defensive cohesion.
This was a pointer to some of the problems India faces in international encounters as they build toward future fixtures, while the match also served as a booster for Syria en route to further preparations into other upcoming tournaments.
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