India suffed 2-4 defeat against Palestine

India suffered a 2-4 defeat against Palestine in the first-ever international match between the two nations at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, Kerala. Under a constant drizzle it was a match of two halves with India better in the first session, while Palestine was better then their opponents after the break.

Wim Koevermans made three changes to his starting line-up compared to friendly against Singapore in Ocrober with experienced Sandip Nandy back in the India goal for Subrata Pal after quite a while. Denzil Franco replaced Nirmal Chettri as right back, while injured Sanju Pradhan was replaced by Francis Fernandes on the right wing while his position behind captain Sunil Chhetri was taken by young and talented Alwyn George.

After chances at both ends, it was India who took the lead in the 17th minute after a Alwyn George effort was stopped by Mohammed Shbair in the Palestine goal but experienced Clifford Miranda scored with a trademark left-footer from the rebound. Palestine were not shocked and stayed in the game with Ashraf Nu'man their dangerman and it was Ashraf who equalised on the half hour mark with a nice placed shot.

India again went ahead in the 39th minute when Syed Rahim Nabi headed in a Mehtab Hossain corner. A fast-paced first session ended 2-1 in favour of India, who had more of the possession.

But Palestine had the better start into the second half as they turned things around within six minutes after the restart. First Hussam Abu Saleh fired in the equaliser in the 47th minute with a beautiful placed spot and only three minutes later Abu Saleh was brought down in the box by Nabi with A. Rowan pointing to the dreaded spot. It was Ashraf Nu'man who scored his second of the night to give Palestine their first lead in the game.

India seemed to have lost the plot as Palestine suddenly had more off the game. History then beckoned as Japanese-born Player of Indian Origin Izumi Arata was brought on in the 64th minute as the first-ever PIO to play for India.

But at the other end Palestine continued to torment India and it was once more Ashraf Nu'man in the 66th minute, who made it 2-4 for the west Asian with the striker getting his hattrick.

It remained 2-4 until the end as India never got back into the match, which was lost in the second session in which Palestine showed their real potential and class.


MATCH STATS

INDIA 2-4 (2-1) Palestine - Goal: 1-0 Clifford Miranda (17'), 1-1,2-3,2-4 Ashraf Nu'man (30',51' pen,66'), 2-1 Syed Rahim Nabi (39'), 2-2 Hussam Abu Saleh (47')

INDIA
33-Sandip Nandy; 2-Denzil Franco, 19-Gouramangi Moirangthem Singh, 3-Raju Eknath Gaikwad, 22-Syed Rahim Nabi; 10-Francis Fernandes (77' 17-Joaquim Abranches), 12-Mehtab Hossain, 6-Lenny Rodrigues (64' 26-Izumi Arata), 15-Clifford Miranda (85' 28-C.K. Vineeth); 9-Alwyn George (70' 23-Jewel Raja Sheikh); 11-Sunil Chhetri [C] (76' 30-Manandeep Singh)

PALESTINE
16-Mohammed Shbair; ?-Raed Fares, 3-Khaled Mahdi, 2-Abdellatif Albahdari [C] (60' 15-Nadim Bagadari), 13-Hussam Abu Saleh; 6-Mousa Abu Jazr (81' 12-Ahmed Salame), 10-Abdelhamid Abuhabib (78' 17-Abdalrahim Kabiya), 14-Ma'aly Kaware' (46' 24-Mahmood Shaikhqasem), ?-Khader Yousef; 9-Eyad Abugharqoud (89' 11-Khaled Salem), 7-Ashraf Nu'man

OFFICIALS
Referee: Armughan Rowan (Services)
Assistant Referees: Shaji Kurian (Kerala), Mohammed Kamil (Delhi)
Fourth Official: M.B. Santosh Kumar (Kerala)
Match Commissioner: J. Ravishankar (Delhi)