Hosts China beat India in Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 by a massive margin of 5-1 on September 19. Sunil Chhetri-led India succumbed to a 5-1 defeat a day after they landed in Hangzhou. Coming into their Asian Games opening fixture, the second-string squad looked off-colour due to lack of training and conceded four goals in the second half to lose the match.
China took an early lead with Gao Tianyi capitalised on a faux pas in the 16th minute. Just before halftime, Rahul KP scored the equaliser. Six minutes into the second half Weijun Dai took the lead in the 51st minute. Qianglong Tao scored two goals in a space of four minutes to extend the lead. In the extra time, Hao Fang scored the final goal of the match as an organised Indian lineup suffered a massive defeat.
Despite the challenges, it was commendable to witness a far-from-full-strength Indian team compete head-to-head with the title favorites during the opening 45 minutes. India's goalkeeper, Gurmeet Singh Chahal, displayed heroics by saving a penalty taken by the opposition's captain, Zhu Chenjie.
To progress to the next round, India must secure victories against both Bangladesh and Myanmar in their upcoming matches. In a parallel group game, Myanmar triumphed over Bangladesh with a 4-2 scoreline.
The makeshift Indian squad, which arrived at the Games Village late on September 19 and comprised less than four regular defenders, visibly struggled with coordination. Signs of jet lag, fatigue, and limited rest were evident, making any significant upset improbable.
The disparity in skill level and experience was clear as China repeatedly exploited India's vulnerable left flank, overseen by Sumit Rathi, turning it into a playground for their forwards.
The humid conditions combined with minimal preparation time also took a toll on the Indian side. They struggled to maintain their stamina past the initial hour of play. The team's defenses crumbled further when Sandesh Jhingan misjudged a move, leading to China's second goal. Later, Jhingan made another costly error attempting a risky maneuver in his own penalty area.
The harsh weather conditions caused multiple players to battle with cramps, further hampered by the lack of adequate warm-up time.
Last week, Igor Stimac said that the schedule has not allowed them to prepare well for the game against China.
“We will not have a single training session prior to the game. We will give tactical preparation at the airport and on the flight. We need to let players rest once we reach Hangzhou before the first game,” Stimac had said.
Stimac had also said that his focus will be on Bangladesh and Myanmar games instead of China. While Chhetri played for more than 80 minutes in the clash against China, the Croatian said that he may rest the senior player.
“I am not thinking about the China game. I am thinking about Bangladesh and Myanmar. Don’t be surprised if I leave out Sunil [Chhetri] and Jhingan for the first game,” he added.
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