Ratings: Lacklustre India bow out after loss to Nepal

The Blue Tigresses suffered a heartbreaking loss in the semifinal against hosts Nepal.

India's run at SAFF Women's Championship 2022 drew to a premature end after a 0-1 defeat to Nepal in the semifinals on Friday. In a heartbreaking display, the Blue Tigresses failed to produce the magic that had seen them lift five consecutive SAFF Women's Championship titles. Nepal looked far more threatening than its neighbours despite having limited possession.

The last two matches proved to be starkly contrasting compared to India's first two matches, in which they looked to go the distance yet again. Against Nepal in the semi-final, India showed a dismal performance that cost them their title defence.

Here are the player ratings of the Indian side from the semi-final clash against Nepal.

Aditi Chauhan - 7

Aditi Chauhan played very well and prevented Nepal from scoring more than one goal. Even in the instance of the goal, she could do nothing to stop the shot.

Sweety Devi - 7.5

In her first appearance in the tournament, Sweety Devi played magnificently. She kept the right side of the defence stable and prevented Nepal's attackers from exploiting their left flank.

Manisha Panna - 6

Manisha's outing was a bit disappointing. Even though her overall gameplay was good, she could have closed down Rashmi Kumari Ghising before she took the winning shot.

Ashalata Devi - 6.5

A similar assessment can be made for Ashalata Devi as well. Her overall gameplay was good as Nepal was not able to score more than one. However, she should have closed down the space which was often exploited by Nepal's Preeti Rai and Rashmi Kumari Ghising.

Ranjana Chanu - 6

Ranjana had an underwhelming game. Nepal got its goal by exploiting the left side of India's defence, which was Ranjana's territory. In case of attack also, her runs along the flank and whipping crosses were missing.

Anju Tamang - 6.5

Anju had a bittersweet day as the team lost but she performed relatively well. She kept the Indian midfield going and tried to inspire the team. Unfortunately, she did not find any compatriots to help the team's cause.

Priyangka Devi - 5

It was not a good day for Priyangka as she was unable to influence the game much. The Indian midfielder looked sloth and out of options for most of the match.

Ratanbala Devi - 5.5

Ratanbala Devi was not at her best, partly because of the pitch conditions and partly because of Nepal's robust midfield. India missed her creativity in the midfield as she did not find much space or provide forward passes.

Dangmei Grace - 4.5

As is evident from Nepal's clean-sheet, all the strikers of the Indian side were lacklustre today. Grace was no exception. She could not find her touch over the entirety of the match.

Renu - 4

It was a very bad day for Renu as she did not threaten Nepal's goal at all and was subbed off in the 41st minute.

Sandhiya Ranganathan - 6

Sandhiya was one of the few attackers who made a few significant attempts to get a goal. She tried to put persistent pressure on Nepal's defence. For the better part of the match, she was alone to do so.

Substitutes

Soumya Guguloth - 7.5

After coming on as a sub in the first half, Soumya tried to infuse some life in the Indian attack. She was one of the bright spots of today's game, especially in the attacking division. She kept on running towards Nepal's goal. Yet, a lack of supply from midfield meant her efforts went in vain.

Apurna Narzary - 6

Apurna did not have the scope to change the game after coming on in the 58th minute. She tried her bit to run at Nepal in patches, but it was not enough as the whole team lacked intensity.