The Indian football team's first match under the coaching of new head coach Manolo Marquez got off to a disappointing start after a draw against Mauritius in the opening game of the 2024 Intercontinental Cup at Hyderabad's Gachibowli Stadium.
India's struggles for goal without former skipper Sunil Chhetri as they were unable to break the deadlock against the 179th-ranked team in the FIFA rankings. India, who are currently ranked 124th, kept the lion share of possession but could not find the back of the net.
The Blue Tigers now face an uphill task to win the tournament as both sides will play Syria next. Syria are the strong sides in the competition, as they are ranked 93rd in the FIFA rankings. Syria will first face Mauritius on Friday (September 6) before taking on India on September 9.
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How Can India Still Win The Intercontinetal Cup 2024?
Despite the poor result, India still has a chance to win the tournament for the third time in four editions. Firstly, it is worth noting that the tournament is being played in a round-robin format this time around, and the team that finishes top of the table after the three matches will win the tournament.
Hence, a victory for India over Syria by any scoreline will seal the title for them regardless of what happens in the match between Syria and Mauritius.
However, if India loses the match to Syria, they will have no chance to win the tournament. If the India-Syria game ends in a draw, the Men in Blue can only win the tournament if Syria and Mauritius also play out a draw. In this case, only all three teams will have the same number of points. Then the result will be determined by the team that has scored the most goals. With a 0-0 draw tonight, India are unlikely to top that stat in case all three matches end in a draw.