Top three Indian player who shone against Iran in CAFA Nations Cup defeat

India succumbed to Iran 3-0 after holding them in the first half.

The Indian team conceded a defeat to IR Iran in the second game of the CAFA Nations Cup. The Blue Tigers lost 3-0, but the scoreline does not truly reflect the state of gameplay.

India put on a spirited defensive display to frustrate the defending CAFA Nations Cup champions. However, an abrupt change in the formation from the Indian coach and quality substitutions from Iran led to India’s capitulation in the last ten minutes.

The scoreline is a negative, but there are plenty of positives from this game for India to focus on. Khalid Jamil would be taking note of impressive individual performances ahead of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in October. In this article, we will look into the top three individual performers for India in the game against India.

Also Read: India vs Iran: Toothless Blue Tigers, Rahul Bheke-right back experiment and other talking points

Nikhil Prabhu

A lot of Indian fans were skeptical of Nikhil Prabhu’s role in the team after his performance in the first game against Tajikistan. However, when he turned up against Iran, he justified his selection.

The defensive midfielder showed why he wears the captain’s armband for his club, Punjab FC. His presence in the midfield made it difficult for the Iranian players to dictate the proceedings.

The 24-year-old midfielder was quick to assess the movement of the ball and opposition players. He made some imposing interceptions.

Alongside defensive contributions, he also made some key passes that led to India’s chances in the game, which were rare. This performance against Iran can give him a regular place in Khalid Jamil’s starting XI.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

Conceding three goals, still one of the top performers? Indeed, Gurpreet once again emerged as one of the best performers for India in consecutive games.

The Blue Tigers did concede three goals, but it could easily have been five or six goals in Iran’s favour had it not been for Gurpreet.

The experienced custodian made some great saves, preventing Iran from extending the lead. Not just with his goalkeeping, but Gurpreet contributed with his leadership skills as well. He acted as an orchestrator for the defense, constantly instructing the players and passing directions on their positioning.

It looked as if he was doing the job for Khalid Jamil on the pitch. This was the second notable performance from the Bengaluru FC goalkeeper in a row. Gurpreet’s finding his form again augurs well for India moving ahead in the competition.

Vikram Partap Singh

The Blue Tigers could not create too many chances in the game against Iran. The opposition kept the position for the majority of the match, giving India little chance to find any goal-scoring opportunities.

In games like these, the forwards do not have much to contribute, but Vikram Partap Singh still left his mark.

Vikram displayed an exceptional work rate against Iran. He was constantly pressing the Iranian defenders and kept doing it until he was on the pitch. His relentless runs forced the opposition defence to give in on some occasions.

The 23-year-old also tracked back and assisted Rahul Bheke in the defence. He mainly operated on the right wing, but has definitely made a case for himself to start as the No.9, especially after Irfan Yadwad’s ineffective outings in the first two games.

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