INDIA 0-1 BAHRAIN
90+1’: Jamal Rashed (penalty)
Heart-break for India as they are knocked out by a late penalty. That is all for the night, folks. Tonight’s match report.
When the going gets tough, the elite teams start firing. India have a long way to go to become one of them at Asian level. Tonight fully exposed India’s deficiencies, as the first match accentuated their strengths. India’s Asian Cup is over, and they have a first tournament win after 55 years to show for it.
India played for a draw, got nothing tonight. They could have shipped in more, and frankly, they were a disjointed lot. Miroslav Soukup’s men threatened all evening and got the penalty their performance deserved.
The Blue Tigers played good football against UAE and Thailand, but were outclassed tonight. This is the performance we had all been dreading and it came true.
It would be unfair to say that India’s downfall is only down to the penalty. They were out of their depth against Bahrain, who controlled the game and did not take their chances.
India hit the handbrake for their final group stage game, but the vehicle toppled over. India are out in what must seem the most heart-breaking of conditions, but they have only themselves to blame.
Well, India were four minutes away from going through to the second round, but they are out. The team took completely off-colour against Bahrain.
Constantine must take some of the blame, as the team failed to string together any passes tonight. India reverted to the team we’re used to witnessing from them over the last couple of years. When they needed a point, they collapsed.
The game between UAE and Thailand ends 1-1.
India are out of the tournament. UAE and Thailand are through as automatic qualifiers, with Bahrain who have confirmed their place as one of the four best-third place teams.
Full-time and it ends 1-0 to Bahrain.
India are out at the moment, with the UAE drawing Thailand 1-1. That game is still underway. Bahrain are through.
90+1’: INDIA 0-1 BAHRAIN
GOALL! Jamal Rashed converts the penalty. As things stand, India are out.
90’: 0-0
PENALTY! Bahrain have a penalty. Halder trips Al-Shamsan.
88’: 0-0
Two minutes of regulation time left. India have nothing left in the tank. Gurpreet bails them out once again.
84’: 0-0
SAVE! Gurpreet’s outstretched hand keeps India in the competition.
From one Indian keeper to another.
82’: 0-0
India desperately scrambling in these final moments. Barely holding on, as Bahrain mount attacks. Borges gets the ball, but can’t pass it to Thapa.
79’: 0-0
Final change for India. Narzary is off, as Anirudh Thapa is brought on. No more changes for India.
76’: 0-0
A billion hearts in mouths moment, but India survive. And they must do so for another 15 minutes plus regulation time. Bahrain make their final change, Ahmed Juma in for Sami Al-Husami.
74’: 0-0
Bahrain have an indirect free-kick. Bose’s back-pass is collected by Sandhu. India escape by the skin of their teeth as they keep it out.
71’: 0-0
POST!! Bahrain hit the post. Marhoon with a header which bounces off Sandhu’s right post.
67’: 0-0
Udanta with a give-away but Al-Yusuf is tackled by the Bengaluru winger. Bahrain can’t profit from the ensuing corner.
Some thoughts on the commentary.
64’: 0-0
Udanta Singh runs clear of the defence and he is brought down by Mohamed Al-Shamsan who is booked. Sunl Chhetri with the free-kick, which sails over the bar.
60’: 0-0
Marhoon is almost in, but Jhingan clears it away. India hang on for the moment. Abdulla Yusuf replaces Mohamed Al-Romahi for Bahrain
55’: 0-0
Change for Bahrain. Ali Madan is off, Mohamed Marhoon is on.
48’: 0-0
Confirmation of the change. Kuruniyan is off, Jeje Lalpekhlua is on.
46’: 0-0
The second half kicks off!
Pronay Halder, GOAT for India’s midfield tonight poses with a goat nine years ago.
Half-time: 0-0
India have opted for a no-lose approach. Thapa’s exclusion has created a visible shift in India’s play, which has reverted back to a ‘lump-it’ philosophy. Will the Chennaiyin man take the field for the second half?
At half-time,
January 14, 2011: Bahrain 4-1 India
January 14, 2019: Bahrain 0-0 India
As things stand, India are on their way to progression from this group.
45’: 0-0
Two minutes of stoppage time added. Can India hold on to this draw till half-time?
42’: 0-0
News just in from the other game. Thailand have equalised against UAE. India are still second in the group, on head-to-head count.
41’: 0-0
Salam Ranjan Singh clears it out for a corner. India cannot seem to get it out of their half.
37’: 0-0
India stringing some passes together, but this little spell is interrupted by Borges’ reckless give-away to a Bahrain player.
31’: 0-0
Half an hour gone and India have not been able to keep the ball. They’ve been content with keeping the opposition out. The forwards have received little service, and their opponents have been able to get some long shots in.
India have made mistakes when gifted the ball, and have not been able to use the pace of Udanta Singh and Ashique Kuruniyan. UAE’s 1-0 lead over Thailand means that India have some leeway but must improve to see this game through.
28’: 0-0
India work it up to Narzary, who plays it to Chhetri in the box. The Bengaluru FC man can’t get a shot off.
25’: 0-0
India have settled into a rhythm of ‘Hoick the ball to Chhetri’. Ali Madan with a strong challenge on Subhasish Bose. Rowllin with the free-kick, hits it straight to the Bahrain keeper.
20’: 0-0
India steal the ball but are unable to keep it as Chhetri’s pass to Udanta is over-hit.
11’: 0-0
Now, Halicharan Narzary looks hurt. Bahrain have a header but it goes over Gurpreet’s head.
10’: 0-0
Pritam Kotal picks out Ashique Kuruniyan with a peach of a ball but the Malappuram man is unable to finish it.
8’: 0-0
Good news for India as Ali Mabkhout scores for UAE against Thailand. As things stand, India go through in second place.
5’: 0-0
Early warning signs for India as Gurpreet palms a shot back into a Bahrain attacker and it is off target. More long shots from Bahrain.
4’: 0-0
Salam Ranjan Singh is in for Anas. Sandesh Jhingan and Singh will play in the centre of defence.
3’: 0-0
Short free-kick by Rowllin Borges and the ball is over-hit. Anas Edathodika is down and Stephen Constantine could be forced into making an immediate change.
1’: 0-0
We have kick-off.
09:28 pm: We are five minutes away from kick-off. It’s time for the national anthems.
09:25 pm:
A fixture eight years in the making.
January 14, 2011: India 2-5 Bahrain
January 14, 2019: ?
09:15 pm: “We get the three points, we get the point, it doesn’t matter what happens in the other game.” Stephen Constantine does not want to leave progression to chance.
09:10 pm: Two matches, three results possible, nine scenarios.
If you’re tired of the math, head this way to understand India’s qualification chances.
09:00 pm: Borges was the one expected change to Constantine’s line-up from the first two games. The Englishman has opted for fresh legs and one suspects this could stem from having the need to break up Bahrain’s attacks.
Read full preview here.
08:50 pm: The line-ups are out. Stephen Constantine makes one change with Anirudh Thapa replaced by Rowllin Borges. India have gone for more physicality in the middle of the park to match Bahrain. How will the absence of Thapa affect India’s ball-play?
08:40 pm: India faced Bahrain eight years ago at this very stage. On that night, Sunil Chhetri scored a goal but India went on to lose 5-2. How will they fare tonight?
Welcome to the live blog of India versus Bahrain. This is the Blue Tigers’ final group stage match at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 and they know that India will qualify with a point.
Stephen Constantine’s men, however, will look to win against the West Asians and aim for an easier draw in the Round of 16.