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King’s Cup 2023 football: India lose to Iraq in penalties

 The Indian men's football crew lost to Iraq 5-4 in a penality shootout after the semi-last match finished at 2-2 after guideline time. They will next play for third put on Sunday.

The Indian men's football crew lost 5-4 on penality to Iraq in the semi-finals of the Ruler's Cup 2023 football competition at the 700th Commemoration Arena, Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Thursday.


After the scores were level at 2-2 after guideline time, the match boiled down to penality as there is arrangement for no additional time in the competition. Brandon Fernandes overlooked a little something kick as India drooped to their seventh misfortune in eight gatherings versus Iraq.

In guideline time, Naorem Mahesh (17') scored the initial objective for India while the other was represented through Jalal Hassan Hachim's own objective (51'). Ali Al-Hamadi (28') and Aymen Hussein (80') were on track for Iraq.

The Indian men's football crew, positioned 99th on the planet, came into the competition without the magic Sunil Chhetri, who quit the crew because of individual reasons.

Playing in their customary blue pullover, the Indian men's football crew at first protected profound and hoped to counter-assault. Iraq in the interim, were in all out attack mode all along.

The Iraqi group, the most elevated positioned group in the competition at world No. 70, sent off assaults in waves yet the Indian guard, drove by veteran focus back Sandesh Jinghan, remained undaunted.

A quarter into the principal a portion of, the Indian group started to lead the pack contrary to the rules. India's Sahal Abdul Samad capitalized on the vacant space behind the resistance guard and played a through ball to Naorem Mahesh, who opened it past the Iraqi goalkeeper Jalal Hassan Hachem to give India a 1-0 lead.

Stung by the objective, Iraq squeezed more men forward looking for the adjuster. Ten minutes subsequent to yielding the initial objective, Iraq were back based on level conditions by means of a penality. The official highlighted the penality spot after Sandesh Jinghan was shown the yellow card for a handball in the case. Ali Al-Hamadi made it 1-1.

The main half saw no more objectives as the two groups went into half-time with the scores level at 1-1.

After the break, India showed significantly more force proceeding. Five minutes into the final part, India were back in front after Iraqi overseer Jalal Hassan Hachem ruined a shot from India's Manvir Singh and surrendered an own objective.


As the match advanced, the Iraqi group started to rule ownership and took the assault to the Indians. A little ways from the last whistle, Iraq drew equality from the penality spot after Aymen Hussein was fouled in the container by the Indian safeguards. Aymen Hussein hit the penality to one side of the jumping Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to make it 2-2.

Iraq peppered the Indian half with long balls trying to score the victor however the Indian protection stood firm. Iraq went under tension in the withering snapshots of the game after Zidane Iqbal was shown a red card. India, however, neglected to make the most of their mathematical benefit as the match headed into the feared penality shootouts.

In the sudden death round, Brandon Fernnandes hit the post.

The Indian men's football crew will next play the second losing semi-finalists from the match between has Thailand and Lebanon in the third-put match on Sunday.


India won a bronze decoration when they last played in the Ruler's Cup in 2019. The Men in Blue beat Thailand 1-0 to complete third in the wake of losing to Curacao in the semi-finals.

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