India suffer biggest loss in 11 years in friendly against UAE

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:08 am

India's 6-0 loss to UAE was their biggest defeat in over a decade.
India's 6-0 loss to UAE was their biggest defeat in over a decade.
AIFF

India suffered a 0-6 defeat against the United Arab Emirates -- their heaviest loss against the Gulf side, and the biggest loss the men's senior team has suffered in over a decade (9-1 loss to Kuwait, 2010), in Dubai on Monday.

Striker Ali Mabkhout scored a hat trick, with goals in the 12th, 32nd and 60th minutes, while Khalil Ibrahim (64th), Fabio de Lima (71s) and Sebastian Tagliabue (84th) added the other three.

Igor Stimac made eight changes to the team that drew 1-1 against Oman four days earlier - bringing in Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (captain for the day), Adil Khan, Anirudh Thapa, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Apuia, Pritam Kotal, Liston Colaco and Mashoor Shereef into the starting XI.

The hosts, ranked 30 places above India in the FIFA Rankings, scored early via Ali Mabkhout's delectable chip after being played through one-on-one with the goalkeeper by Fabio de Lima.

Just past the half-hour mark, Adil Khan was adjudged to have blocked de Lima's shot with his hand, and Mabkhout made no mistake from the spot.

India's only noteworthy move came just before half-time when Liston Colaco, making his debut, found Manvir Singh with a superb through ball but the striker's shot was blocked by the onrushing UAE keeper.

Stimac made a couple of changes at half time, bringing on Yasir Mohammad and Halicharan Narzary for Thapa and Chhangte.

It made no difference, though, as UAE continued to dominate.

Mabkhout completed his hat trick with a calm finish from inside the Indian six-yard box.

Stimac continued to ring in the changes, Raynier Fernandes and Ishan Pandita replacing Liston Colaco and Apuia, before Hitesh Sharma replaced Suresh and Ashique Kuruniyan came on for Akash Mishra.

Khalil Ibrahim added a fourth after a neat assist from India's tormentor-in-chief Mabkhout, before de Lima capped off a superb passing move to make it five. Six minutes from the end, de Lima capitalised on another defensive error to set up substitute Tagliabue for his side's sixth.

The international friendly matches were being played as part of preparations for the joint qualification round of 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup to be played in June.