India, March 26 -- Manolo Marquez expressed his frustration candidly, stating that India was fortunate to secure a point. "We performed very poorly," remarked the head coach following the 0-0 draw against Bangladesh on Tuesday. "This is the most challenging press conference I have attended. If I were to articulate everything on my mind..." He paused, allowing his thoughts to linger in the media room near the pitch, where Bangladesh had drawn the match but claimed the bragging rights. "Perhaps this reflects the current state of Indian football," Marquez conveyed to the official broadcaster.

India might have clinched a victory had Sunil Chhetri opted to control Naorem Mahesh's delivery instead of attempting a first-time header in the 83rd minute. Similarly, if Subhasish Bose had managed to direct a free header on target in the 72nd minute, the outcome could have been different. Against a team that has never triumphed over them in India, Marquez's squad, except Liston Colaco, played inadequately and risked embarrassment.

Vishal Kaith, making his first competitive international appearance in a while, began with a misplaced pass that nearly allowed Bangladesh to score from the kick-off. Many spectators had not yet settled in when Mojibor Jony struck the side-netting after receiving a pass from Hamza Choudhury on the right.

In the 11th minute, Kaith's goal kick deflected off a Bangladesh player, necessitating a sliding intervention from Subhasish Bose to prevent Shariar Emon from scoring. Just five minutes later, Shekh Morsalin set up Emon, who leapt to meet the ball but failed to keep it on target.

Bangladesh's aggressive pressing and high energy from the outset unsettled India. Sandesh Jhingan called for composure, but to the dismay of the rapidly filling stadium, chaos ensued within the Indian ranks. A long hopeful ball that Rahul Bheke failed to connect with represented India's only opportunity, while Bangladesh could have secured victory in this Group C match of the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier. It wasn't until the 19th minute that Chhetri had a chance, when Boris Singh attempted to find him, but the pass was too swift.

To effectively respond to Bangladesh's aggressive play, India required both patience and control of the ball. This shift began around the 30-minute mark when Colaco activated the left side of the field. An injury to Bangladesh's captain and central defender, Topu Barman, necessitated a reorganization of their defense, leading to the introduction of substitute Rahmat Mia as a right back. Colaco quickly established dominance over Mia, and in the 36th minute, he skillfully maneuvered past him, resulting in a foul.

Although Bangladesh goalkeeper Mitul Marma was not significantly challenged, Colaco did manage to direct a shot on goal. During a counterattack, Kaith, Bose, and Colaco executed a coordinated play. Chhetri initiated his run but lost his footing on the pitch, leaving Colaco with no choice but to proceed alone.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium features an unsightly scaffolding structure on one side and a hill rising behind the stands on the other. With lights illuminating the houses on the hill overlooking the stadium, it felt as though more than 14,952 spectators were present. The crowd reacted enthusiastically when Colaco took his shot, and in the 39th minute, Farukh Choudhary's attempt was thwarted by Mia after Udanta's header was deflected by a Bangladesh player.

Choudhary's expression indicated he felt he could have performed better after Bose's throw was skillfully controlled by Chhetri, allowing him to take a shot. Moments later, Kaith prevented Jony from scoring in a one-on-one situation. However, his night was marred by mistakes, as another rushed pass in the second half found a Bangladesh player, necessitating a diving clearance from Bose to avert a potential threat. India's ongoing struggle to find a reliable striker is well-documented, and following this match, coupled with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's poor form, it appears that the search for goalkeepers may also need to commence.

Like Kaith, Hamza was also new to his team, but while one displayed uncertainty, the other exhibited composure. Operating from a deeper position, which made him challenging to mark, Hamza demonstrated why Leicester City had extended a professional contract to him after he progressed through their academy.

In the 57th minute, Hamza expertly timed his jump to intercept Chhetri's header, having previously used his body to thwart Colaco's attempt. On another occasion, while surrounded by opponents in blue, he composedly passed the ball back to his goalkeeper. As India intensified their efforts after the break, Hamza positioned himself between the central defenders to provide support. He also took on the responsibility of executing corner kicks, remaining unfazed by the commotion surrounding his presence.

This was the ideal start that Bangladesh had hoped for from him. "There is much to learn when facing a player of his caliber," remarked Lalengmawia Ralte.

"He has significantly enhanced the mentality of this team, and the players have improved by playing alongside him," stated Javier Cabrera, the head coach of Bangladesh. This sentiment, however, could not be applied to any player from India.

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