Bengaluru: At the end, a standing ovation. Twice in the 80th minute, they could have added to Ryan Williams’s 41st minute strike but first Edmund Lalrindika shanked the shot and then Manvir Singh overran Lalrindika’s pass. By then, Omar Valencia had got Panama level but even after that the winner could have come had Manvir, found by a combination of Pramveer and Sahal Abdul Samad, sorted his feet.
Because friday’s fighting 1-1 draw against Panama felt like a win, india soaked in the applause.
And yet, till 68 minutes, they were trailing. But there he was on a balmy evening, playing a 25-yard ball after Bijoy Varghese square-passed to Mishra and the left-back let fly. That move had stemmed from a Sandhu kick that travelled nearly 75 metres. Sandhu, 34, is known for this: once he had given an assist for Sunil Chhetri, who was not missed. They had started with only three of their 14 from the World Cup roster and the talismanic defender Michael Murillo was not one of them. The Besiktas right-back played in Major League Soccer for New York Red Bull before moving to Europe in 2020.
That was like saying Bengaluru FC are from Bengaluru. Williams had struck and what a goal it was. If Akash Mishra has ever made a better pass with his right foot, few would have seen it. Throw-ins have worked for Khalid Jamil. For his effort and for that goal, Williams got a pat from Christiansen when he was taken off. The desire showed when Manvir stole and found Williams in the 17th minute. Williams’s shot fizzed wide. And that alone is saying a lot. Panama rang in the changes at half-time, Valencia among them. This was his 98th international. Carlos Harvey and Adalberto Carrasquilla, both of them in the World Cup squad, followed. The boys had been given a run-out, now it was time for the men. Panama played further up the pitch, were denied once by the woodwork, but it was an even contest.
Panama would go in as favourites, Christiansen had said at the pre-match media conference. And how often has that been said? It did in the CAFA Nations Cup and it did here on Friday in this international friendly. They know each other from Christianen’s time at Leeds United, the Panama coach had said on Thursday.
At 138 in FIFA rankings and building a new team, Jamil would have been satisfied with what he saw. Valencia scored from 25 yards, but that Panama were forced into long-rangers told its own story. One of them, from Cordoba, was from 30 yards and was parried away comfortably by Sandhu.
Notorious for its traffic, people streaming in near half-time in Bengaluru was perhaps not unusual. On the pitch, slightly greasy following spurts of rain, Panama were in a defensive phalanx and India’s high line caught striker Jimenez Ameth off-side twice. The phlegmatic Jamil’s instructions seemed simple: go direct and work the wings through Akash Mishra, Ashique Kuruniyan and Vikram.
Players will need to take responsibility, head coach Khalid Jamil had said.
