Press trust of India
Pune, August 31: Indian football team failed to impress against lower-ranked Nepal, playing a goalless draw in an International friendly at the Balewadi Stadium, here Monday.
Coach Stephen Constantine Constantine employed as many as five substitutions but the deadlock was not broken.
In the first half, 156th-ranked hosts played mostly in the rival half. The back four almost played around the centre-line and quick interchanges, switching, transitions and one- twos keeping Nepal, ranked 184, guessing.
Eugenson Lyngdoh’s overhead kick in the 44th minute evaded the Nepal defence and stooped for the onrushing Sunil Chhetri to take it all the way in to the box. But even as Chhetri, with his feint sent the rival custodian Limbu Kiran the other way, his placement just went wide.
That apart, Francis Fernandes hit the post in the 20th minute when he tried to blast in a rebound following Lyngdoh’s corner. Francis also had a shy at the goal when Limbu came up with back to back saves to first, frustrate Robin Singh and then Jeje Lalkephlua. And even as Francis tried to place in the rebound, it deflected for a corner.
Karanjit Singh came in for Indian custodian Subrata Paul after the change of ends. As was in the first half, corners were earned regularly and almost every time, Nepal managed to keep it off. In the 62nd minute, Robin couldn’t make the most of a free header off Jackiechands’s corner.
Cavin Lobo came on made his way past two defenders in the 79th minute and even as a full stretched Limbu managed to keep his left footer away, rival captain Bharat Thapa cleared it in time as Robin tried to poach.
