U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers: India end campaign on disappointing note, go down 0-3 to UAE

India ended their campaign in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers on a disappointing note going down 03 to the United Arab Emirates UAE to finish without a win in the tournamentAfter the pool was reduced to three teams following the late withdrawal by the Maldives India had to handsomely win one of the matches against China and UAE to keep alive their hopes of making it as one of the best secondplaced teams especially after losing to China because of a lastminute goalHowever those hopes were dashed by the UAE at Dalian Sports Centre Stadium as they emerged 30 winners against IndiaWith this defeat India finished at the bottom of Group G However they played spoilsport for hosts China who defeated India 21 in an earlier matchTuesdays clash was a doordie affair for both sides a win by two or more goals was to guarantee UAE the top spot in Group G of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024 Qualifiers while three points would have given India a chance to qualify as one of the four best secondplaced teams out of the 11 groupsWith a 30 victory UAE finished on top of Group G with four points and a better goal difference China who ended with four points too have an outside chance of making the next round as one of the four best secondplaced teamsAlso Read India draw Australia Syria in tough Group B in Asian CupBoth sides sensed the urgency and began the match at great intensity tackles flying in both halves of the pitch Jiteshwor Singh picked up a booking around the quarterhour mark for a tackle in the middle of the pitchThe UAE managed to take the lead in the 26th minute as the Indian defenders were left rather confused after a melee inside the box Mohammed Abbas Alblooshi was finally awarded the goal after a lengthy discussion between the referee and his assistantThe side from the Persian Gulf doubled their lead just three minutes after the halfhour mark when Sultan Adil Alameeris low drive from inside the box found the back of the netSensing the game slipping away from them India began to rotate the ball around the park looking for openings However for all their intent the UAE backline managed to keep them at bayAfter the change of ends India looked to put some pressure on the UAE defence Parthib Gogoi made a foray down the right into the attacking third early in the second half but his cross evaded all the forwardsIndia head coach Clifford Miranda made a couple of changes bringing on Rabeeh Anjukandan and Sourav in place of Sanjeev Stalin and Parthib Gogoi a little after the hour mark as they looked to pull one backHowever UAE sat back and waited for the perfect opportunity to spring a counterattack Goalkeeper Hamad Abdulla Almeqbaali launched a long ball forward as Eisa Khalfan finished off the move to make it 30More changes were in store for India as Rohit Danu and Ayush Chhetri replaced Suhail Bhat and Jiteshwor Singh followed by the final substitution of the day for India as Amarjit Singh Kiyam replaced Vibin MohananThree substitutes combined with 18 minutes of regulation time left as Danu cut it back to Rabeeh who passed it on to Sourav whose shot was blockedSourav and Amarjit had two more chances but the former was denied by the opposition keeper while the latter shot wide Striker and skipper Siva Sakthi had arguably the best chance of the match in injury time when he curled one with his left foot aimed at the top cornerHowever Almeqbaali pulled off an airborne save to deny him as the match was soon brought to an endWith agency inputs