India Suffers Defeat Against New Zealand in Friendly Match

Christchurch, November 15 (Daily Kiran) : The Indian men’s football team faced a disappointing defeat against New Zealand, losing 3-0 in their second international friendly match held at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on November 15.

Despite early pressure from the home team, India managed to hold their ground until the 22nd minute when Finn Surman broke the deadlock with a goal. New Zealand continued to dominate, extending their lead just before halftime. In the 40th minute, James McGarry scored to make it 2-0, and three minutes later, Chris Wood secured the victory with a third goal.

From the outset, New Zealand maintained control of the ball, keeping India confined to their own half. According to reports from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Ryan Williams captained the Indian side for the first time. Head coach Khalid Jamil made five changes to the starting lineup compared to the previous friendly, introducing Ashik Kuruniyan, Jai Gupta, Mehtab Singh, Mohammad Sanan, and Roshan Singh Naorem.

These changes reflected a shift in strategy, as India adopted a strong defensive setup with a five-player backline, featuring Naorem and Abhishek Singh Techam as left and right full-backs, respectively. New Zealand threatened early, with captain Chris Wood nearly scoring from a cross in the ninth minute, but Indian goalkeeper Vishal Kaith made a crucial save.

New Zealand’s persistence paid off in the 22nd minute when Calum McCowat’s corner kick found Finn Surman, who headed the ball into the net. Kaith remained busy, making impressive saves against attempts from Francis de Vries and Jesse Randall.

India attempted to respond through Manvir Singh, Ashik Kuruniyan, and Williams, but struggled to create clear chances. New Zealand doubled their lead in the 40th minute when McGarry capitalized on a pass from Owen Parker-Price. Just three minutes later, Wood scored again, redirecting a cross from Matthew Garbett and Randall into the goal.

Kaith was called into action once more just before halftime, saving a header from Wood off a free-kick. By the end of the first half, India was trailing 0-3.

During halftime, coach Jamil made three substitutions, bringing on Bijoy Varghese, Pramveer, and debutant goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari. Tiwari quickly showcased his skills, making a remarkable save in the 55th minute against McCowat’s shot and later catching a follow-up attempt from de Vries.

As the second half progressed, India introduced more fresh faces, including Lalrinliana Hnamte, Muhammad Suhail, Liston Colaco, and Tomba Singh Haobam. In the 81st minute, India had a chance to score when Tomba and Hnamte set up Liston, but his long-range shot went over the crossbar.

In the 86th minute, New Zealand nearly scored a fourth goal when Lachlan Bellis broke into the box, forcing Tiwari out of position. Alex Rufer received the pass and aimed for the goal, but Bijoy Varghese cleared the ball off the line, preventing New Zealand from extending their lead further.

The match concluded with India unable to find the back of the net, marking another challenging outing for the team.