Manolo Marquez gives fair assessment of India after being held to goalless draw by Bangladesh

The Blue Tigers are all tied up in Group C as they sit at the top of their group standings.

Manolo Marquez admitted feeling frustrated after an underwhelming performance from India as they began their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying campaign with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Bangladesh in their opening Group C encounter. The Spaniard did not hold back in his post-match press conference, describing the performance as “very, very poor” and admitting that India was fortunate to seal a 0-0 result.

The game leaves the Blue Tigers level on points with the Bengal Tigers and the other teams in Group C. With Hong Kong and Singapore playing out a 0-0 draw in the other group game, it is all to play for team India.

Manolo Marquez gives a damning verdict on the game

The Blue Tigers failed to create and convert goal-scoring opportunities throughout the game to the annoyance of their head coach. After an impressive game against the Maldives, the Spaniard was not a happy man about the team’s performance against Bangladesh.

He stated, “It was a very bad game. We got one point, maybe that’s the best thing. In the first half especially, we were lucky not to concede. The second half was slightly better, but still not enough, in my opinion.”

Even Indian midfielder Apuia echoed the coach’s sentiments, agreeing that India were fortunate but also lamented their missed opportunities. He added, “We started well, but we were unlucky not to score. We could have done much better.”

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Lackluster start to games will be concerning for India

The Blue Tigers struggled to impose themselves on the game from the start, with an early miscue from the goalkeeper almost gifting Bangladesh the lead. The lack of rhythm and cohesion frustrated Marquez, who dismissed any notions that inexperience played a role in the sluggish start.

He stated, “The game started with one pass back, and the goalkeeper passed the ball straight to the striker. But even without the goalkeeper in front, the striker missed. This has nothing to do with experience. It’s about how you enter the game. And today, it wasn’t just one player—practically, it was every single player.”

India’s lack of control in midfield and struggles in attack meant that Bangladesh had more chances to find the breakthrough. Marquez acknowledged that the defensive line was often vulnerable but credited some key saves from Vishal Kaith for keeping the clean sheet late in the game.

Injuries and player fitness continue to be challenging

Marquez admitted that India’s preparations had been affected by injuries, with several key players unavailable. However, he refused to use that as an excuse for the team’s struggles.

The Spaniard stated, “A lot of very important players—starters—are not here because of injuries, but that is not an excuse. Even if we were playing good football, we would still need to improve in all areas—defense, attack, transitions, everything.”

He also pointed to the demanding schedule of domestic competitions, which he believes has left some players fatigued. Marquez pointed out, stating, “Some players arrived after playing just two days ago, while others hadn’t played in a week. Physical condition is not the same for everyone. But again, that’s not the reason we played badly today.”

India’s attacking struggles and tactical choice nightmares

One of the major talking points was India’s inability to create clear-cut chances. Marquez was questioned about his tactical choices, particularly the decision to start Udanta Singh on the right instead of Liston Colaco, who had combined well with Naorem Mahesh Singh in previous friendlies.

He defended the selection, stating, “I know Udanta very well, and he started well with Boris, maybe because they play in the same team and have a good understanding. But we changed him because he was not making an impact. I tried to bring in a more skillful player to make a difference.”

Despite the changes, India failed to break down the Bangladesh defense, leading to a frustrating result. With all four teams in Group C level on one point after their opening games, the group remains wide open.

India will now look to regroup and refine their approach ahead of their next qualifier, knowing that significant improvements are needed if they hope to secure a spot for the continental tournament in Saudi Arabia.

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