Manolo Marquez’s stint as the head coach of the Indian men’s football team started with a title loss as the Indian team went down to Syria 0-3 in the least league match of the Intercontinental Cup in Hyderabad.
The three-nation tournament – India, Syria and Mauritius – was played at the GMC Balayogi Athletics Stadium in Gachibowli in Hyderabad.
Mahmoud Al Aswad, Daleho Mohsen Irandust and Pablo Sabbag scored for Syria and underlined the visitors’ dominance over the home team.
The top-ranked team at the end of the league phase wins the title and there is no final played in the Intercontinental Cup. India and Mauritius played a goalless draw in the opening match of the Intercontinental Cup while Syria beat Mauritius 2-0 in their first match. Thus Syria ended the tournament on six points and won the trophy while India and Mauritius finished with one point apiece.
In the last league match, Al Aswad got the first breakthrough when he scored in the seventh minute. India’s efforts of restoring parity bore no fruit as the Indian’s failed to construct a good finishing move.
Irandust scored in the 77th minute to effectively put the contest to bed and Sabbag’s strike in the injury time outlined Syria’s supremacy on the field.
This was Manolo Marquez’s first tournament and it began on a disappointing note. He replaced Igor Stimac as the head coach of the Indian team in July this year.
India won the Intercontinental Cup in 2018 and 2023 while Syria won the trophy for the first time.
This was also Syria’s first title winning run in India after losing two consecutive Nehru Cup finals to India in 2007 and 2009.
