The Indian National Football Team were at the end of their heaviest defeat in a decade against the United Arab Emirates. The Blue Tigers lost 6-0, as Ali Mabkhout scored a hat-trick. However, head coach Igor Stimac remains defiant in defeat and is already looking forward.
A 6-0 defeat to the United Arab Emirates threw Indian football in disarray. The Blue Tigers suffered from their heaviest loss in over a decade, and questions were raised over Igor Stimac. However, the Croatian tactician defended his project, claiming that people need to assess the results considering the quality of opponents his side has faced.
If you want to compare the recent friendly matches, then you need to take a closer look at teams India has played against before, and with whom since I have been in charge,
Stimac was quoted by the All India Football Federation.
One heavy defeat will certainly not make us give up and return to the pleasure of defeating opponents who do not pose any obstacle in Asian football.
The training camp in Dubai – that also saw India face Oman – was part of the Blue Tigers’ preparation for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup second round qualifiers. Stimac’s men are currently fourth in their group and are yet to win a match. Nonetheless, the former player has compared his team’s performance to that of his predecessors and claimed that they are in a better position to qualify.
Now, after five games played, with many new players in the team, we have three points and a very solid goal difference, and are on course to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023,
Stimac said.
The Indian national team head coach also pointed towards his side’s 0-0 draw against the current Asian champions Qatar as a benchmark. He also claimed that his team were unlucky against Oman in the qualifiers, where inexperience cost them the match.
India met Oman again recently during their training camp and secured a 1-1 draw. The Blue Tigers were beaten both times by their opponents during the Asian qualifiers but did secure a stalemate in the friendly, courtesy of a Manvir Singh header.
