Happy because we held Australia in the first half, says India coach Igor Stimac after defeat in AFC Asian Cup 2023 opener

India boss Igor Stimac lauded the performance of Deepak Tangri in this game.

India’s opening game at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup ended in a defeat to former Asian champions Australia. The Blue Tigers began on the right note and kept things very tight until the end of the first half.

But, the Socceroos came out all guns blazing and had a go at India. Australia kept on pushing for an opening goal and found it with Jackson Irvine’s 50th minute strike. Jordan Bos then added a second goal in the 73rd minute and sealed the deal for Australia.

After the match, India’s head coach Igor Stimac addressed the media and shared his thoughts.

Thoughts on the game

The head coach began by sharing his thoughts on the fixture and said that overall it was a positive game for the team and he was happy with the first half’s performance.

“As expected, it was a very difficult match for us with the physicality of Australia. We suffered from the corners. But overall it was positive. We are not so happy with the result because both goals were a result of our sloppy displays. I’m happy as a coach because we held Australia in the first half.”

Stimac also added that the second half was disappointing.

“But the second half was not good. We could not get out of the zone where we were just not capable of making the second pass and going over the half-line. The experience of Australian players held us back because they are better game-readers. We are looking ahead to the next two games,” he added.

Australia’s gameplay

Speaking about Australia’s gameplay, Igor Stimac said that it wouldn’t have been so frustrating if India had all the players available.

“It wouldn’t be so frustrating if India had all the players available. But, it is what it is. We knew what’s coming at us. We were having training sessions and preparing our boys to stop so many crosses from the flanks,” he asserted.

Deepak Tangri’s performance

When asked about Deepak Tangri’s performance in the middle of the park, the head coach opened up and said that the midfielder’s performance impressed him a lot.

“We were trying various options in midfield. And it is obvious that Suresh and Apuia will not be able to stop the problems alone. It was either to risk too much without having a great option at No.10 position or to go with Deepak who was brilliant in the training sessions. He is our most confident player. His passing, response abilities and attitude was spot on,” he mentioned.

Upcoming game against Uzbekistan

Next up, the Blue Tigers will face off against Uzbekistan. Sharing his thoughts on the upcoming game, Igor Stimac said, “We have three days to analyse Uzbekistan as opponents. I’ve had a good look at their last five games and I’m well aware of their strengths. We know how quick and strong they are. But we need to work on ourselves.”

He also said that India’s passing needs to be better and there will be some changes going into the next game.

“Our passing needs to be better. We need to refresh some legs and few changes will come. We will look for more offensive teams and we will try to find a way to approach this game and try to win it,” he quipped.

Absence of Injured players

India missed the services of four key players due to injury, namely Ashqiue Kuruniyan, Sahal Abdul Samad, Anwar Ali and Jeakson Singh. When asked about their absence, Stimac said, “They would help us in holding on to the ball, passing and keeping possession. But, it’s a great experience for our boys. Prior to the game it was mentioned that we need to play for our people. Our plan was to hold on to the 60th minute and then go all out.”

He also added that this experience will be very valuable for all the players moving forward.

“But, then we conceded in the 50th minute and now we had to play for 40 minutes against a team who were relaxed. But, that’s football. It will be a great experience for many of our players,” he signed off.

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