India secure draw against Tajikistan in second friendly
The Blue Tigers stretch their winless run to four successive games
The Indian football team shared spoils with Tajikistan in the second international friendly at the Hisor Central Stadium, in Tajikistan, on Tuesday.
Sheriddin Boboev’s 85th-minute goal from the spot kick cancelled out Vikram Partap Singh’s 25th-minute opener as Khalid Jamil’s men ended the game with a 1-1 scoreline.
First half lead for India
Tajikistan started the game with an attacking mindset, winning a corner and a free-kick within the opening three minutes.
The hosts got their first chance in the 12th minute courtesy of Ehsoni Panshanbe, but the midfielder skied the ball. Igor Angelovski’s men, who won the previous friendly by a 3-1 scoreline, dominated the game with quick counters and set-piece moves.
As the game progressed, India gradually found their feet, with Mohammed Sanan and Vikram Partap Singh operating through the flanks.
The Blue Tigers broke the deadlock in the 25th minute thanks to Vikram Partap, who capitalised on the Tajikistan goalkeeper’s mistake to open the scoring.
Sanan was brought down in front of the penalty box, awarding a free-kick to the visitors. The Tajikistan goalkeeper failed to grab Farukh Choudhary’s free-kick as it fell straight in front of an onrushing Vikram Partap, and the Mumbai City FC forward made no mistake in finding the back of the net.
The home side created waves of attacks with quick moves and fast transitions. Muhammadjon Rahimov received a brilliant ball from Alisher inside the box, but a brilliant tackle from Sandesh Jhingan prevented Tajikistan from scoring the equaliser.
Angelovski’s team was awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box at the stroke of halftime. Parvizdzhon Umarbayev’s left-footed curling attempt was off target.
With that, Khalid Jamil’s men went into the half-time break with a 1-0 lead.
Late penalty snatches away victory from India
Tajikistan started the second half with the same intensity. Akhtam Nazarov and Tabrez Islomov took on the Indian defenders with slick moves but were ultimately denied by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu at the end.
The hosts got another great chance to equalise the scoreline at the hour mark. Salokhiddin Irgashev cut inside the box and lodged a powerful shot, but the Bengaluru FC shot stopper stood tall to keep the scoreline unchanged.
Tajikistan created a couple of chances during this phase, but all went begging as they failed to beat the resilient Indian defense line.
Tabrez found Irgashev with a delightful cross from the left, but the latter couldn’t keep his target in frame. Parviz took a long-range attempt in the 67th minute to test Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, but it was off-target too.
Tajikistan ultimately broke down the Blue Tigers’ persistence as they were awarded a penalty in the 85th minute. Sheriddin Boboev made no mistake in scoring the equalizer with a composed finish from the spot kick.
Khalid Jamil made a couple of substitutions as he brought in Edmund Lalrindika and Macarton Louis Nickson in the final quarter of the game.
Tajikistan continued to dominate the game as they came close to winning the game in the injury time from an Alidzhon Karomatullozoda throw-in, but Nikhil Poojary’s timely clearance kept the scoreline unchanged as the match ended on level terms.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
Shibashis is a sports journalist with over three years of experience covering Indian football. His work spans reporting, writing, and editing, with a strong focus on telling stories from across the Indian football landscape. Passionate about both Indian and European football, he continues to build his career by combining sharp reporting with a deep love for the game.