After 180 minutes of soccer, India’s probabilities of going previous the group stage of the U-17 Women’s World Cup are over. The hosts misplaced 3-0 towards Morocco within the battle of debutants on Friday on the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. With no factors from two video games, India can not mathematically qualify for the knockouts with yet another recreation to go.
While their large 8-0 loss to the USA within the opening match was comprehensible, India have solely themselves responsible for the loss to Morocco. Though they fought brilliantly, two errors, each within the second half, value them the sport and their possibilities within the event.
It was an enormous second for Morocco too, who obtained their first-ever win in a FIFA Women’s World Cup.
A goal-laden day within the #U17WWC! ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/6Pmefat3io
— FIFA Women’s World Cup (@FIFAWWC) October 14, 2022
India coach Thomas Dennerby had stated forward of this match that his crew “need to fight it out and have no other option left”. And that’s precisely what India did.
Against USA, India seemed nervous and misplaced. They had been tactically and bodily overpowered. It appeared like they learnt their lesson shortly. Against Morocco, they stood sturdy, defended courageously, and had been in a position to bother Morocco with their assaults, one thing which they completely lacked of their opening recreation.
Morocco, who had misplaced to Brazil by only a solitary aim of their opening match, had been the favourites going into the sport. It was their defensive recreation that troubled the fancied Brazilian assault and India knew that they must provide you with one thing extraordinary to attain.
Dennerby made three adjustments to the beginning XI, together with bringing on goalkeeper Melody Keisham, and it appeared to work. With Nitu Linda and Kajol D’souza combining properly in midfield, India managed to create a couple of strikes that troubled the Moroccan protection, but it surely was the ultimate ball for striker Neha that was missing.
India loved a great 40 per cent possession within the first half an hour of the match and it appeared every little thing was going to plan for Dennerby’s facet. To preserve themselves alive within the event, India wanted not less than a degree. When the primary half ended goalless, the expectations rose. Could India actually handle to get their first level at a FIFA occasion?
Any hope of that was crushed six minutes after the break. In the chaos that ensued after a Morocco nook, India defender Naketa, whereas attempting to dam a shot and clear the hazard, touched the ball along with her outstretched hand. The referee instantly blew her whistle and pointed on the spot.
Morocco striker Doha El Madani made no mistake along with her penalty, and although Melody guessed the course accurately, the shot was too highly effective and out of her attain.
Piling on stress
India didn’t sit again. They performed with extra gumption. The Moroccan protection seemed even shakier as India piled on the stress.
And simply as India seemed essentially the most threatening, Morocco doubled the lead, profiting from a mistake from Melody.
The African nation thwarted an Indian assault and began a counter of their very own within the 61st minute. Melody fumbled whereas attempting to gather a simple cross from the fitting.
Moroccan skipper Yasmine Zouhir, who performs for French facet AS Saint-Etienne, was ready within the heart and slotted the ball residence with a strong left-footer to double her crew’s rating.
Despite being two objectives down, India didn’t quit. Striker Anita Kumari had the very best probability to drag one again within the 83rd minute after she timed her run completely on the left flank to obtain a via ball and go one-on-one with goalkeeper Wissal Tittah. Anita selected to hit it within the first submit however Tittah guessed accurately and despatched it out for the nook.
Anita’s shot was India’s solely shot on course within the two video games at this event. With time working out, India seemed famished. All the work they put in over the previous 10 months with publicity journeys to Norway, Italy, and Spain, and coaching camps at Jamshedpur and Bhubaneswar was taking place the drain. They tried to placed on a courageous face, however you might see they’d misplaced hope.
Cherif Djennah added insult to damage within the first minute of stoppage time, simply going previous the Indian protection and slotting it previous Melody.
India face Brazil of their last group tie on Monday, and whereas qualification is out of the query, they’d hope to not less than get a aim towards the South American giants.
