‘The dressing room is like a funeral': India coach Manolo Marquez after loss to Hong Kong
India football head coach Manolo Marquez said that the dressing room atmosphere had the air of a funeral after the Blue Tigers lost 1-0 to Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualifiers on Tuesday. The Spaniard, however, remained optimistic that they will be able to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup.
India conceded in the fifth minute of stoppage time on Tuesday, slumping to a second straight goalless outing in Asian Cup qualifiers, jeopardising their chances of qualifying for the Asian Cup.
'…we are not very happy. We are sad. The dressing room is like a funeral, practically. But I still think that India has possibilities to qualify,' Marquez said.
'The game is easy to speak. Two teams fighting and that's all. Without too many chances. I think both teams defended both with order and one action. This is football,' he added.
Ranked 26 places above their opponents in the FIFA charts, the Indians were undone by poor finishing and lack of composure in key moments. India should have taken the lead in the 35th minute when Ashique Kuruniyan misjudged the delivery and fluffed a golden chance from close range. India now have just one point from two matches in Group C. With only the group winners advancing to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, the task ahead would be arduous.
'…we are not in a good moment. In terms of scores, it's difficult for us to score. But it's true that the team played with more order than in other games. This is true. But, unfortunately, we couldn't get any points here.' Marquez said.
'I repeat again, it's for me a very equal game and unfortunately for us, practically in the last action, we lost at least one point and Hong Kong have three points. I told in the dressing room, obviously we want to win. But sometimes the team doesn't know how to draw. And today, if you couldn't win the game before the minute 90-91, at least try to be in a position to avoid the defeat. But I feel that India is still in the fight,' he added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Hockey: What happened in the closing stages of India's defeat against Argentina – a bizarre sequence of events before Jugraj Singh missed penalty stroke
In one of the most bizarre endings you will ever see in a hockey match, India had the chance to equalise against Argentina in their Pro League clash in Amsterdam on Thursday but ended up squandering it, before a 1-2 defeat. With less than a couple of minutes left in the match, and India trailing 1-2, Jarmanpreet Singh hit a superb pass along the ground from the left flank. The ball was travelling at some speed and it required Abhishek to produce a superb piece of control within the circle. The forward made space as he turned and drove inside towards the danger area. The referee close to the action – Michiel Otten – gave a penalty stroke, deeming that one of the defenders had fouled Abhishek and prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity. The Indian players were ecstatic but the Argentine players immediately crowded the referee, who quickly signalled that he was going to refer it himself to the video umpire, as referees do have the power to do so. But Magali Sergeant, the video umpire saw no reason to overturn the decision. The penalty stroke stood and India had the chance to equalise. Jugraj Singh, in the absence of regular penalty taker Harmanpreet Singh who was out injured, stepped up and scored but Argentina now wanted to review this again as they argued that the Indian defender had one foot ahead of the ball when he went through the stroke. According to rule 13.7, subsection d (taking a penalty stroke), the player taking the stroke must stand behind and within playing distance of the ball before beginning the stroke. The video umpire upheld Argentina's review and the stroke was ruled out. Manpreet Singh, the former captain, got a green card during this whole drama as he approached the umpire in protest. The Indians, still unhappy with the decision, had a few conversations with Coen van Bunge, the experienced Dutch umpire, who was at the other end of the field. Hardik Singh, the stand-in captain, eventually convinced van Bunge to ask the video umpire if she looked at the entire play… including the defensive phase of action. Van Bunge's request saw the video umpire look at the goalkeeper this time and she deemed that Tomas Santiago was off his line before the offence Jugraj had committed. According to rule 13.7, subsection e, 'the player defending the stroke must stand with both feet on the goal-line and, once the whistle has been blown to start the penalty stroke, must not leave the goal-line or move either foot until the ball has been played.' So instead of Jugraj's mistake leading to a free out, it was now a retake for India. Jugraj got the chance tor retake the stroke, but this time around, his high attempt was saved superbly by player-of-the-match Santiago who got his glove out to the right side in time. India missed the chance to equalise and eventually suffered their fourth straight defeat. Vinayakk Mohanarangan is Senior Assistant Editor and is based in New Delhi. ... Read More
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Lead Tributes, Sports Fraternity "Shocked"
A London-bound Air India flight, carrying 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and a Canadian citizen, crashed this afternoon shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad. Rescue efforts are currently underway and more information on the tragic incident is expected shortly. In an official statement, Air India confirmed that the crash took place shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad at 1.38 pm. The students of the BJ Medical College, where the plane crashed, were having lunch. As per NDTV sources, five medical students died while several were injured following the crash. Following the tragic incident, sportspersons shared their condolence messages on social media handles. "Really sad and disturbing news from Ahmedabad. Prayers for all the lives lost and their families," India's ODI captain Rohit Sharma captioned a post on his Instagram story. Former India captain Virat Kohli posted on his Instagram, "Shocked to hear about the plane crash at Ahmedabad today. Praying for all those affected and thoughts with their families." "Deeply saddened by the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London today, June 12, 2025. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of all 242 souls on board. May love surround every grieving heart and strength find those left behind," two-time Olympic medallist and star shuttler PV Sindhu wrote in her tribute for the victims. Deeply saddened by the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London today, June 12, 2025. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of all 242 souls on board. May love surround every grieving heart and strength find those left behind. — Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) June 12, 2025 "Absolutely devastated by the news of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. My heartfelt prayers for all the lives lost and strength to the families affected. In this tragic hour, we stand united in grief," former India cricketer Suresh Raina posted on X (formerly Twitter). Absolutely devastated by the news of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. My heartfelt prayers for all the lives lost and strength to the families affected. In this tragic hour, we stand united in grief. #AirIndia #Ahmedabad #Condolences — Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) June 12, 2025 "I am utterly shocked and deeply anguished to learn about the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families who are enduring unimaginable pain and loss. In moments like these, words feel so inadequate, but I hope that those affected find strength, courage, and support. My heart goes out to everyone impacted by this tragedy," Raina's former teammate and legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh also posted on X. I am utterly shocked and deeply anguished to learn about the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families who are enduring unimaginable pain and loss. In moments like these, words feel so inadequate, but I hope... — Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) June 12, 2025 Former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan also posted on Instagram Stories: "Deeply saddened to hear about the plane crash in Gujarat. May the families find strength in this unimaginable time." Cricket legend Yuvraj Singh wrote on X: "Heartbreaking news about the #AirIndia plane crash in Ahmedabad. Thoughts and prayers with the passengers, crew, and families affected. May they find strength in this difficult time." Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra reacted with a brief but heartfelt message, "Ohhh God. Thoughts and prayers." Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who hails from Gujarat, also offered his condolences: "Deeply saddened by the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad today. Prayers for the passengers, crew, and their families." The flight, headed to London's Gatwick Airport, departed at 13:38 pm from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The failure to achieve lift led to the aircraft crashing into the BJ Medical College.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
FIFPro says research shows footballers need mid-season break
Professional football must adopt match limits, mid-season breaks and compulsory summer holidays to safeguard players, a report commissioned by international union FIFPro said on Thursday. FIFPro said in a statement a study of 'calendar congestion and excessive workload' by 70 specialists working in professional men's football for clubs and national teams had recommended safety standards which, it said, international football lacks. It made 12 recommendations and highlighted several in a press release. These included mandatory four-week off-season breaks, with two of those commitment free and mandatory mid-season breaks. It also wanted minimum four-week retraining periods after off-season breaks before players return to competition To manage travel fatigue management football should ensure rest periods after long-haul flights Specific workload safeguards should be introduced for players under 21. It also urged 'seasonal match limits and fixture congestion controls'. 'Decoding the human body, performance, and sport-related injuries will be a lifelong scientific exercise for all of us,' Dr. Darren Burgess, Chair of the FIFPro High-Performance Advisory Network, said. ALSO READ | Who will play FIFA CWC 2025? 'However, the results of this study show that there are certain minimum standards such as adequate rest between matches, and proper off-season breaks, that are common sense, aligned with scientific evidence and, above all, required by global occupational health and safety standards.' The Dutch-based organisation released the report three days before Sunday's kick off of FIFA's expanded mid-summer Club World Cup in the United States. FIFPro has led criticism of the lucrative 32-team tournament which has been crammed into an already overloaded schedule.
