In a high-octane King's Cup semifinal clash, a Sunil Chhetri-less India suffered a heartbreak against a higher-ranked Iraq team, losing out on penalties at the 700th Anniversary Stadium. Despite showcasing a spirited performance and coming close to their first-ever win over Iraq, India was nudged out in a nail-biting penalty shootout.
India will now set their sights on the bronze-medal match against Lebanon, while the championship match is poised between Iraq and Thailand, who secured a 2-1 win over Lebanon in their semifinal.
The match narrative was a rollercoaster. India held a 2-1 lead until the 79th minute when a controversial penalty was awarded to Iraq. Aymen Ghadhban, after a contested clash with two Indian defenders, leveled the match 2-2 from the spot. In the ensuing penalty shootout, India missed out by a whisker with Brandon Fernandez's effort ricocheting off the post.
The setback ended India's enviable 12-match unbeaten run. Nonetheless, the team, ranked 99th in the FIFA standings, delivered a commendable performance against 70th ranked Iraq, especially without their skipper, Chhetri.
Mahesh Naorem fired India into the lead early on, capitalizing on a sleek pass from Sahal Abdul Samad. Iraq responded with Karim Ali's penalty conversion, only for India to regain the lead courtesy of an own goal by Iraq's goalkeeper Jalal Hasan. As the game neared its conclusion, Zidane Iqbal's red card reduced Iraq to 10 men, but India couldn't leverage the advantage before the penalty showdown.
The Indian side, despite the odds, displayed resilience, skill, and determination, with special mentions to goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's saves and Naorem's early strike. Historically, out of the seven encounters between the two teams, Iraq has triumphed six times, with one game concluding in a draw.
All eyes are now on India as they prep to face Lebanon and vie for the bronze, capping off their commendable King's Cup journey.
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(With PTI inputs, powered by AI)
