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Asian Games 2023: India knocked out of the competition after losing 0-2 vs Saudi Arabia in the Round Of 16

Indian Football Team's Asian Games 2023 journey comes to an end after Saudi Arabia defeated the Blue Tigers by a 2-0 scoreline.

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Abishek Goswami
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Asian Games 2023 | Asian Games 2023: India knocked out of the competition after losing 0-2 vs Saudi Arabia in the Round Of 16 | Sportz Point

Saudi Arabia defeated India 2-0 in the Asian Games 2023 Men's football competition Round of 16 match on Thursday. Mohammed Khalil Maran scored both goals. The match began on a brilliant note as both the teams tied 0-0 in the first half. However, Maran quickly provided Saudi Arabia with their first breakthrough in the 51st minute. He then went on to extend the lead as he scored his second goal of the day in the 57th minute. India remained goalless in the match and ultimately got knocked out of the Asian Games 2023.

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Asian Games 2023: India vs Saudi Arabia - Match Report

First Half:

India started with a low block as Saudi Arabia tried to hit with long balls. In the 8th minute, India tried a quick attack, with Rahul KP combining with Abdul Rabeeh along the right. He received the ball back in the box but was immediately surrounded by Saudi players, who made a brilliant clearance. Rahul KP tried to carry the ball from the midfield but he was surrounded by three Saudi players, who got the ball off him and passed it to Musab Al-Juwayr. The midfielder tried a shot, which stormed past a fully-stretched Dheeraj off-target. It was the first big chance for the Saudi Arabians in the first half.

Saudi was forced to shoot from a distance, with India maintaining a compact low block. Musab Al-Juwayr took a shot with his right foot, which beat Dheeraj but left the woodwork shaking. In the follow-up, another shot just went off-target. India escaped a clear chance of goal concession. In the 40th minute, Gurkirat fouled Musab Al-Juwayr to get into the book for a rash challenge. Al-Juwayr took the free-kick, which was saved by Dheeraj. This was the first time Dheeraj was actually tested in the match. India made a change right before the first half by bringing in Samuel James for Gurkirat Singh. The first half ended goalless which was mostly dominated by Saudi Arabia.

Second Half:

Despite Saudi Arabia coming close to scoring on multiple occasions, a resilient India has forced the score to remain 0-0 at the end of the first half. Saudi started the second half exactly how it did in the first half, with attacks along the left. Maran then came up with the goal that Saudi Arabia were looking for. Khalil Marran received the ball in the box through a cross from the right side. Mohammed Abu Al Shamat whipped in the cross and Khalil Marran made no mistake to head the ball into the net.

Khalil then extended the lead after just 6 minutes. He then drew Dheeraj to him in the box, having received a through ball, and as the Goa goalkeeper gave space to his left. Marran buried and tucked the ball into the net for his and Saudi's second of the game. Maran is the only player in Saudi's playing XI from Al Nassr. He has played with Cristiano Ronaldo and has also scored for the senior team in the Saudi Pro League. He just showed his class maybe he is learning from the best.

Saudi Arabia attacked with set-pieces again. Rayan Hamed's header was pushed out at the last moment by Dheeraj to limit the Saudi side to just two goals. Nothing more happened in the game after India conceded those two goals. Sunil Chhetri and all of the Indian Men's footballers will now return to the Indian Super League clubs after this heartbreaking loss in the Round of 16 of the Asian Games 2023.

Asian Games Football Indian Football Indian Footballers Sunil Chhetri
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