Bangladesh vs India: Predictable set-piece routine, Sanan's brilliance, toothless attack and other talking points

Shekh Morsalin scored the winner for Bangladesh against India.

India suffered a dismal 1-0 loss to Bangladesh in their fifth AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers at the National Stadium, Dhaka, on Tuesday. A goal in the eleventh from Shekh Morsalin was enough to help the Bengal Tigers get their first win over India in the 21st century and help them move clear in third place in the group.

This marks an absolute low point for what has already been a dismal year for Indian football. Nothing seemed to work for the Blue Tigers, who just didn’t have any sort of reply for the Bengal Tigers after their early goal. Here are the prominent talking points from India’s loss to Bangladesh.

4. Predictable set piece routine hurts Khalid Jamil’s side

From the get-go, the Indian side almost seemed dependent on earning corners, indirect free kicks, and throw-ins to score goals. Khalid Jamil almost seemed to have embraced Tony Pulis-esque style as the emphasis on long throw tactics continues to become an important part of India’s playing style, in an apparent attempt to emulate the famous Stoke City approach.

The only problem is that the Blue Tigers do not have a Rory Delap in their roster, nor do they have that much physicality or aerial capability to win those long throw-ins inside the box.

It was ultimately a case of Bangladesh solving India’s predictable set-piece tactics and winning back the ball that ultimately led to the only goal of the game. Even though India created some half-chances from set pieces, they never really threatened their opponents on corners or indirect free kicks to be able to really hurt the Bengal Tigers.

3. Mohammed Sanan proved to be the only glimmer of hope

The Indian side had little positives to take from the loss to Bangladesh, but perhaps the performance of Jamshedpur FC youngster Mohammed Sanan was a silver lining in a dismal night for them. Sanan came on in the second half as a substitute to replace the ineffective Lallianzuala Chhangte, who had an underwhelming day, and immediately raised the energy levels and overall threat of the Blue Tigers’ attacking patterns.

His rapid movement troubled the opposition defenders, as he managed to find space in the wide areas and whip in some really nice crosses. Sanan created a few decent chances, but was unlucky to see any conversion from his teammates. His performance was perhaps proof that Sanan deserves more regular playing time with the Blue Tigers and should be given the chance to make that left-wing role his own.

2. Bangladesh pounce on India’s sluggish defending

Bangladesh came into this game with a simple approach. They were stubborn enough to draw out the Indian players and then hit them on counterattacks. Fortunately for them, the Blue Tigers took the bait. The Bengal Tigers were able to recover possession really well in some key areas, including the final third, and were particularly ruthless on the transitions. In the early parts, they already threatened India a few times before hitting the jackpot with the goal.

After recovering the ball, Rakib Hossain was unleashed on the left wing as he surged his way past Akash Mishra before playing in a nice pass for Morsalin to smartly finish past Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The Bangladesh side basically caught India sleeping, but their quick thinking and rapid movement in the final third ended up creating the only goal of the game and sealed a famous win.

1. No show for India in the final third

Even though the Blue Tigers produced a pretty poor performance against Bangladesh, they did at least create some half-chances against Bangladesh. Unfortunately, the Blue Tigers just don’t have any forwards who are capable of converting those half-chances to snatch a win or draw.

Rahim Ali was again toothless in the box. His positioning did not help him come close to scoring any goals for India. The wingers also did not venture into the final third, resulting in a lack of initiative. The midfielders also had a conservative game, which allowed Bangladesh to gain territory.

The set-piece delivery wasn’t good enough most of the time, and none of the players rose to the occasion to produce a clutch moment that could rescue India. Unless Khalid Jamil can find players who are way more prolific in the box in converting the chances, his side will never show any signs of progression, allowing this series of disappointing performances to continue.

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