The coach stormed into the dressing room, erasing the tactics board in frustration. Nothing about the first half had gone according to plan.
Defenders were pushing up in search of goals, while the forwards dropped deep, inadvertently contributing to the defensive chaos. As both attack and defense faltered in their core responsibilities, it was a midfielder—rarely known for scoring—who produced a moment of brilliance with a stunning goal out of nowhere.
Surely, this wasn’t the strategy anyone had in mind?
It was that kind of night in the Asia Cup. A torrential downpour rendered the typically resilient turf waterlogged. Play, which almost never halts for rain, was suspended. The pushback was delayed by 53 minutes, and it took the home side another 45 to find their rhythm
The team wasn’t exactly caught off guard by the early setbacks, but the situation demanded a shift in approach. That change began at the top, with the captain stepping further up the field than usual — even attempting a rare field goal. However, his shot lacked precision, making for a routine save by the goalkeeper.
Despite conceding twice due to defensive lapses, the forwards struggled to make an impact. The positive takeaway was that chances kept coming, even against a team that packed all its players into their own half. But with each missed opportunity, frustration among the Indian players grew more visible.
One promising move saw a drive from the right flank into the circle. The ball reached an unmarked player near the penalty spot, setting up a golden one-on-one with the keeper — who had come off his line. But the shot, a hurried reverse hit, missed the target entirely. The forward dropped to his knees in visible disappointment.
Shortly after, another chance presented itself inside the circle. With time and space seemingly on his side, a usually dependable scorer misfired, sending the ball wobbling past the post. He slammed his stick to the turf in frustration.
In the final quarter, yet another opportunity slipped away. Instead of taking a direct shot, the attacker opted to turn past a defender, giving the opposition time to recover. A dangerous cross later in the game rolled untouched across the face of goal — no one was there to convert.