India's key takeaways from CAFA Nations Cup

New Delhi [India], September 10 (ANI): India edged past Oman 1(3)-1(2) connected penalties, marking a historical accomplishment for the Blue Tigers successful the third-place decider of the CAFA Nations Cup, arsenic per the authoritative website of the Indian Super League (ISL).

This was the archetypal clip they participated successful that tournament.

The Blue Tigers, who had taken portion successful the tourney with 1 oculus connected adjacent month's duplicate AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Singapore, returned with a podium decorativeness successful the eight-team tourney that featured Asian heavyweights similar Iran and winners Uzbekistan, who took the different 2 spots connected the podium.

The bronze medal volition boost the Blue Tigers, who person endured a hard 12 months earlier the tourney arsenic they look to suffice for the AFC Asian Cup for a third-time running.

Khalid Jamil was appointed the caput manager of the elder men's squad conscionable 28 days earlier the tourney and didn't person excessively overmuch clip connected his hands to instrumentality his ideas with the players.

Being the third-lowest ranked squad successful the competition, the CAFA Nations Cup was a pugnacious duty for the caller coach. However, the caller caput manager approached the task with unwavering positivity that reflected successful the team's performances successful Tajikistan.

India were not fazed by the situation of the task that they faced and upset hosts Tajikistan successful the archetypal game. Even against Iran, wherever India yet mislaid 3-0, they had kept their opponents astatine bay successful the archetypal fractional and looked beauteous solid.

Mixing enactment complaint with resolve, Jamil instilled a warring tone successful the Indian squad that wasn't evident successful caller months and 1 that allowed them to claw backmost from hard situations.

The Blue Tigers didn't propulsion successful the towel adjacent erstwhile they were a extremity down against Oman and recovered the equaliser to unit extra-time, a play that India ended connected the beforehand foot.

Tactically and emotionally, Jamil recovered a look that made India an hostile that nary squad enjoyed facing and besides managed to eke retired cardinal results erstwhile needed.

Jamil is known to get the champion retired of his players, and that prime was connected afloat show successful the CAFA Nations Cup.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu had mislaid his spot arsenic the first-choice goalkeeper and was blameworthy of costing India cardinal goals, particularly successful the decision to Afghanistan successful the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

With increasing competition, Sandhu's nationalist squad spot was nether threat. But contempt immense unit to deliver, the Bengaluru FC custodian roseate to the juncture and reminded everyone wherefore helium held India's No 1 goalkeeper tag for truthful long.

Saving a punishment successful the 2-1 triumph implicit Tajikistan, Sandhu got backmost his aura and continued to showcase it successful the coming games. He besides saved the decisive punishment footwear successful the shootout against Oman to clinch the bronze medal for India.

Apart from his enactment betwixt the sticks, Sandhu was a person successful a dressing country afloat of youngsters and besides captained the broadside successful the final. He was the 1 the squad looked upto and helium led by illustration fueling India's impulse to beryllium a point.

Sandhu is backmost and truthful is the contention for India's first-choice goalkeeping position.

If determination was 1 wide imprint of Khalid Jamil connected the India team, it was the usage of agelong throw-ins. The Blue Tigers had struggled for goals nether erstwhile caput manager Manolo Marquez and Jamil added his trademark agelong throw-ins to the premix astatine the CAFA Nations Cup.

The agelong throw-ins proved to beryllium a highly effectual limb arsenic India scored each 3 of the goals successful Tajikistan from the agelong throw-ins. Muhammed Uvais who made his nationalist squad debut was the antheral sending the agelong throw-ins and it caused teams each sorts of problems. As the Blue Tigers inactive hunt for consistency successful attack, the agelong throw-ins tin service arsenic a deadly limb for Jamil's men.

The biggest takeaway for the Indian squad from the CAFA Nations Cup was the squad morale and the bonding. The players played for each different and showcased a agreed front. There was chemistry betwixt the squad and the results successful Tajikistan would person boosted their morale.

With must-win games against Singapore connected the horizon, India volition caput into these matches with a affirmative framework of caput and look to crook things astir successful their AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign. (ANI)