Criticizes National team's early performance and physical condition post defeat to Syria
Panaji
The beginning of Manolo Márquez’s tenure as head coach of the Indian national football team has been tough. The team struggled in the Intercontinental Cup 2024, finishing in third place after a disappointing 0-3 loss to Syria on Monday. This followed a goalless draw against Mauritius last week.
In their opening match of the tournament, India could not break the deadlock with Mauritius, which left Márquez unimpressed. Against Syria, ranked 93rd in the world, India improved their attacking play in the second half but were already behind after conceding a goal in the 7th minute. The team’s initial performance was marred by panic, leaving them to chase the game from the start.
Despite a more spirited second-half effort, India failed to score, with Syria’s debutant goalkeeper Elias Hadaya making several crucial saves. Márquez was at least encouraged by the improved attacking display, saying, “The second half was the only positive. We created more chances than we had in the previous three halves of football.”
Márquez acknowledged that the tournament was challenging for multiple reasons. “The team is not ready physically. All our players are in pre-season. Physically and technically, Syria were better,” he said. The coach noted that Syria had already started their domestic season, unlike the Indian players who were still in pre-season.
India needed only a draw to win the tournament, but Syria’s defensive strategy and counter-attacks proved effective. The Syrians were content to protect their lead and exploit India’s offensive push. Two late goals from Mahmoud Al-Mawas and Pablo Sabbag sealed Syria’s victory, making the final score 3-0.
Reflecting on the game, Márquez said, “We knew Syria’s strength was their counter-attacks. We had to take risks when we were down 0-1 at half-time. We knew they could finish us off in the last 15 minutes, which they did.” He praised his team’s performance from half-time to the 30th minute of the second half, despite the final result not reflecting their efforts.
India faced constant pressure from the start. After Syria’s opening goal by Aswad, India’s defense was tested repeatedly. Alaa Aldin Yasin Dali’s shot hit the crossbar, and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made a crucial save in the 35th minute. Márquez expressed his frustration, particularly with the team’s timid approach in the first half. “I don’t like teams that are scared. We were not brave,” he said.
Looking ahead, Márquez and the Blue Tigers have a busy schedule. They will participate in a tri-nation friendly tournament in Vietnam in October, facing the hosts on October 9 and Lebanon on October 12 at the Thiên Trường Stadium in Nam Định. Márquez hopes that the physical condition of his players will improve by then, thanks to the Indian Super League, which starts on September 13 and will break for international matches in early October.
The coming months will be crucial for Márquez and his team as they seek to build on their performance and adapt to new challenges.
