Two world cup qualifiers

The Indian Football Team:  Hope! It is infectious, it is dangerous. Yet, there was no dearth of it in the Indian Football Team dressing room after a heart-wrenching loss at the hands of hosts Malaysia in the Merdeka Tournament semi-final.

The Blue Tigers, well and truly, feel “robbed” – of a win, of a shot at winning a prestigious tournament, but most importantly, of one more match in the FIFA International Window in October 2023. Despite the scoreline, a 2-4 defeat at the hands of hosts Malaysia in the Merdeka Tournament semi-final, India’s performance in front of a partisan crowd at the Bukit Jalil Stadium was well received, even by the local fans present in the arena, reports AIFF.

A disallowed goal, a soft penalty, and a handball inside the hosts’ penalty area that was brushed off will be talked about in the bastion of Indian Football, each a hard pill to swallow for the Blue Tigers. The Indian dressing room was dejected after the match, but that sense of desolation soon turned into one of introspection.