“The dressing room is like a funeral (site),” mentioned Indian soccer head coach Manolo Marquez as he struggled to elucidate the 0-1 loss to Hong Kong right here though he remained optimistic in regards to the staff’s probabilities of qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
India conceded within the fifth minute of stoppage time on Tuesday, slumping to a second straight goalless outing in Asian Cup qualifiers, jeopardising their probabilities of qualifying for the Asian Cup.
“…we are not very happy. We are sad. The dressing room is like a funeral, practically,” Marquez mentioned when a query on the way forward for the staff got here up, insisting that it was not the time to dwell on that facet.
“…But I still think that India has possibilities to qualify,” he declared nonetheless within the post-match press convention.
Ranked 26 locations above their opponents within the FIFA charts, the Indians had been undone by poor ending and lack of composure in key moments. India ought to have taken the lead within the thirty fifth minute when Ashique Kuruniyan misjudged the supply and fluffed a golden probability from shut vary.
“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 mentioned, making an attempt laborious to seek out the best phrases to elucidate the efficiency.
India now have only one level from two matches in Group C. With solely the group winners advancing to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, the duty forward could 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 additionally lamented his aspect’s incapacity to accept a level.
“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.”
Asked how India can repair their scoring woes, the coach responded with an sincere reflection.
“Sometimes you never know. One day, this is not a problem of the national team, it’s in clubs also. Sometimes there are four, five, six games that you don’t score and suddenly you score three-four goals…”
However, he steered away from criticising particular person gamers but conceded that at instances, nerves are getting the higher of them.
“I cannot say nothing negative about the players. I think that the effort was there, the attitude was there, the plan of the game was there. In some moments, I feel that we can play better with the ball and be more brave,” he mentioned.
“But this is about the situation that the team is not winning and the players are a little nervous. In some actions that the pass is clear, we are a little nervous,” he admitted.
Since taking up from Igor Stimac final 12 months, Marquez has overseen eight matches with just one win — a 3-0 pleasant victory over Maldives.
India have drawn 4 and misplaced three, together with each important Asian Cup qualifiers. The staff has scored simply 5 instances whereas conceding 9, failing to seek out the web of their final three outings.
Published – June 12, 2025 02:12 am IST
