India were defeated by Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the Round of 16 of the Asian Games to end their journey in continental football. The women’s team were eliminated in the group stage, and the loss in the knockout stage for the men’s team marked the end of the country’s football aspirations at the tournament.
Al Nassr’s Mohammed Khalil Marran scored both goals in the second half to eliminate the Blue Tigers and end their hopes of making it to the last 16. The Saudi Arabia national football team is ranked 57th, while India are ranked 102. Both teams mostly featured U23 players with only a few senior players.
India eliminated from Asian Games 2023 by Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia controlled the game in the second half, with the Indian team unable to keep up with their pace after the break. It took a lot of last ditch defending from the Blue Tigers to keep things level at half time.
But, things changed dramatically after Marran’s goals with the control of the game shifting firmly in favour of Saudi Arabia. They will now go on to the quarter finals and will be one of the favourites to reach the finals.
India, on the other hand, registered their best finish since 2010, when they reached the Round of 16 but were eliminated after a 5-0 loss against Japan. The national team was able to play the tournament and qualify from the group stage after a lot of struggle.
This result marks a steady progression for Indian football, with ambitions of achieving a higher finish in the coming editions.
