Hamza Choudhury shows Premier League quality as Bangladesh hold India goalless
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Football is a team sport, but sometimes, the inclusion of a star player can change the dynamics of a side. Bangladesh discovered this with the addition of former Premier League player Hamza Choudhury to their playing XI against India in the AFC Asian Cup qualifier in Shillong. The visitors, searching a first win against their formidable neighbours since 2003, fought bravely in a goalless draw.
With Hong Kong and Singapore playing out a similar goalless draw in the other Group C encounter in Singapore, the qualification race remains in a balance. Only one of the four teams will qualify from Group C. India next play Hong Kong away in June.
But today was about how India would cope against Bangladesh, energised by the arrival of Hamza, a hard-tackling midfielder, who was playing his first match for his mother's birthplace. With over 50 Premier League appearances, Hamza's class was unquestionable, and it showed over 90 minutes as he marshalled the Bangladesh midfield with gritty tackles and daring shoulder charges.
Hamza laid down the marker by dispossessing Ayush Chhetri early on and did even better when he came dashing to shoulder charge Liston Colaco on the run. He also denied India's talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri a header on target with smart positioning of his body from a corner and then came up with a clean tackle on Farukh later on. It is fair to say, Hamza, who played for England at the U-21 and U-23 levels, elevated Bangladesh's game.
That said, chances came in good numbers at either end, with Sunil Chhetri getting a glorious late opportunity to seal the tie when he was found unmarked in the box but couldn't place his header on target. At 40, the Bengaluru FC striker, recently pulled out of international retirement, showed why he still remains India's prized asset. Chhetri even took it upon himself to go for aerial duels with the lanky Hamza, who played the deepest midfielder for the visitors.
Bangladesh had dominated the first half, with at least three great chances. India bounced back in the second half and showed more urgency, especially with some smart wing play enabled by a hardworking Liston Colaco. Farukh Choudhary almost caught Bangladesh by surprise when Chhetri released him, but Ridoy came sliding to get the shot off target.
Vishal Kaith, who so nearly conceded inside 30 seconds, came charging to deny Jony. The dimuntive winger had an open net in front of him in the earliest chance, but failed to find the back of he net from a tight angle.
Colaco was perhaps India's best player, and around 30 minutes, the pacy winger whipped in a deep cross that Udanta got his head onto, but it was off-target and cleared by a defender. The rebound fell kindly for Farukh Choudhary, unmarked inside the box, but he slipped and played a tame shot into the hands of goalkeeper Mitul. Colaco later tried to trick Mitul by going for a goal directly from a corner, but the Bangladesh custodian managed to tip it over.
Ridoy was gifted a glorious chance with the goal gaping when Kaith attempted a clearance but, inadvertently, gave the visitors a break. Subhasish Bose slid in to clear the danger and keep India in the game. Kaith had to rush off his line to deny Jony, who had beaten Bheke for pace and was through on goal. A pile driver from Fahim in the dying moments caught everyone by surprise, but Kaith got a strong glove to it. India's head coach Manolo Marquez was disappointed at full-time, calling the performance 'really really poor'. His counterpart Javier Cabrera thought the result was a fair one.