Football
King's Cup 2023: Stimac fumes as Indian team loses to Iraq on penalties
Indian men's football team went down fighting against Iraq penalties but coach Igor Stimac was furious on dubious calls during the game.
The Indian men's football team will open their campaign against Bangladesh on March 25, 2025. (Photo credit: AIFF)
Indian men's football lost on penalties against higher-ranked Iraq in a tense match that saw two penalty calls going against India in the semi-final of King's Cup on Thursday in Thailand.
The Indian team, without skipper Sunil Chhetri and in-form youngster Lallianzuala Chhangte, was leading 2-1 till the 79th minute when the referee awarded a soft, rather dubious penalty to Iraq after Aymen Ghadhban was sandwiched between two defenders in a tussle.
Ghadhban stepped up to take the penalty and made it 2-2 to take it to the penalty shootout.
Iraq then won 5-4 in the shootout with Brandon Fernandez failing to score as his kick hit the post and went out.
The penalty call left the Indian coach Igor Stimac fuming and he along with the team decided to skip the post-match press conference and made his frustration visible during the match.
It was a superb show from the Indian team and gave the much higher-ranked Iraq a run for their money. Youngster Naorem Mahesh Singh opened the scoring for India in the 16th minute.
Naroem deceived the Iraqi goalkeeper Jalal Hasan and finished at the near post after receiving a sublime pass from Sahal Abdul Samad. Iraq hit back in the 28th minute through Karim Ali's penalty conceded by experienced defender Sandesh Jhingan.
In the second half, India started with much better intensity, and Akash Mishra's pass was mishandled by Iraqi goalkeeper Jalal Hasan leading to an own goal.
India did well to hold on to the lead and create their chances but the 79th-minute penalty from Ghadhban made things level and forced a penalty shootout.
Iraq was reduced to 10 men as Zidane Iqbal received a red card for a reckless challenge on Brandon Fernandes but there was hardly any time for India to take advantage.
The Iraqi team prevailed in the shootout as Gurpreet Singh Sandhu failed to get any of his dives correct and Brandon Fernandes hit the post.
India had been in superb form throughout the year, remaining undefeated and clinching three international trophies—the Tri-Nations Series in March, the Intercontinental Cup in Bhubaneshwar, and the SAFF Championship in Bengaluru in July.
India will take on the winner of Thailand and Lebanon on 10th September in the third-place match.
