Kolkata: The 1-1 draw against Malaysia, Rahul Bheke cancelling Paulo Josue’s strike, meant India would end 2024 without a win from 11 matches, a first since 2014. A year where a third round in the World Cup qualifiers looked possible has ended with four draws and a defeat against teams ranked lower.

For goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, the year that began with flapping at a corner-kick leading to an Australia goal ended with one that flew over his head. He had a good game against Vietnam but brain fades have happened with increasing frequency this year. The penalty against Afghanistan, the inability to sort out his feet against FC Goa leading to Brison Fernandes lobbing him which was also what NorthEast United’s Alaeddine Ajaraie did when Bengaluru FC played next could make this Sandhu’s worst year with a month of ISL action remaining.

Before the Asian Cup opener, you would have to go back to 2019 for a Sandhu clanger in an international. Take out the error in the 2023 Super Cup final and a heavy touch in last season’s ISL opener and there wouldn’t be too many howlers for club and country in a 13-year career. After a couple of close-range saves on Monday, Sandhu missed the flight of a delivery in the 90th. Fergus Tierney’s header thudding into the upright in stoppage time prevented his night from devolving into a nightmare.

Muhammad bin Azmi’s pass was more in hope than anything else after India had surrendered the ball high up on the Gachibowli Stadium park. Sandhu left charge and the ball bounced over him. Like in Hyderabad, Sandhu had once trailed behind a striker. But in that match against United SC, Sandhu, then with East Bengal, had moved up to attack a corner-kick.

Josue had scored five goals and made one assist in 18 internationals. For his club Sabah, he has 11 goals and three assists in 15 matches this season, as per Transfermarkt. The 35-year-old would be hard-pressed to find an easier goal than the one he scored in the 19th minute. “An action without danger,” said India head coach Manolo Marquez.

It came when India were asserting themselves. The press was coordinated, the set-piece routines looked rehearsed, striker Irfan Yadwad with Chennaiyin FC teammate Farukh Choudhary behind him is a frontline pair worth investing in, Sandesh Jhingan did not look like he was back for India after almost 10 months and his central defensive partner Anwar Ali had made a couple of crucial blocks.

India had not forced a clear chance but won more corner-kicks, made more penalty area entries and the idea of giving Brandon Fernandes the licence to drift inside is worth exploring ahead of the Asian Cup qualifiers in March. It was from a Fernandes corner-kick that Bheke reduced Sandhu’s embarrassment in the 39th minute. The right-back timed his run to best Nooa Laine and head home after Jhingan had kept defenders occupied. Soon after, Ali headed out another Fernandes free-kick. But promise petered out in the second half. Like the year.

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