Full time, India 0-0 Iran: Here are some reactions to the match

FULL TIME: How has that finished goalless! India created chance after chance but couldn’t convert, with Iran’s GK making one INCREDIBLE save. Iran too had their chances, mind you. Dalima and Ashalata had to come up with some blocks / clearances. In the end, points are shared. Both sides will now be desperate to beat Taipei who lost 0-4 earlier. This group is going to be rather open apart from the top spot on today’s evidence.

FULL TIME: India 0-0 Iran, quite incredibly.

Group A, 90+3 mins India 0-0 Iran: Indumathi who has run herself into the ground, with a tired cross. Goal kick Iran and final whistle seems imminent.

Group A, 90+2 mins India 0-0 Iran: HUGE TACKLE! Dangmei thinks she is brought down from behind but the Iran captain has pulled off a massive defensive effort. That seemed like a certain goal... big penalty shout. But Iran have done brilliantly on defence.

Group A, 89 mins India 0-0 Iran: Oh Iran nearly create a chance on counter, but India come forward again. Dangmei involved again but she can’t find the right pass down the right. Injury time looming, India will rue if this ends 0-0.

Group A, 87 mins India 0-0 Iran: Zohreh nearly goes from hero to villain, makes a meal of a cross but doesn’t cost her side. Dangmei has had a storming sub appearance but the goal just won’t come.

Manisha withdrawn too, has ran her socks off.

Young Shilky Devi (16!) replaces Ratanbala. Can the teenager provide a spark?

Group A, 81 mins India 0-0 Iran: A big defensive clearance by India at the other end. Aditi beaten but India’s defenders get back and clear in time. Incredibly, this is still 0-0.

Group A, 78 mins India 0-0 Iran: HUGE CHANCE HUGE SAVE! Iran’s goalkeeper somehow keeps it out as Dangmei did brilliantly to find space and head downwards from a cross. The rebound goes wide too. India cannot believe how they haven’t scored there. Grace graces the crossbar from distance moments later.

Group A, 76 mins India 0-0 Iran: Oh, Iran players starting to feel the pressures of the time it looks like. India are the fitter team now, better prepared team too. This is where they need to make it count. Renu forces a corner down the left, break in play for some cramps.

Group A, 72 mins India 0-0 Iran: As pretty much most followers and reporters on Indian football noted in the lead-up, India desperately missing the finishing skills of Bala Devi.

A tough sub to understand that one, unless Pyari picked up a niggle

Group A, 69 mins India 0-0 Iran This is the danger for India, for all the chances they have created it is 0-0. Dalima had to make a HUGE DEFENSIVE BLOCK there from a corner. Iran nearly took the lead. Aditi with a strong grab from the resultant corner. In the following mins, the first yellow cards of the match. Manisha gets into the book for India.

Group A, 64 mins: India 0-0 Iran: Chance after chance for India! Pyari Xaxa involved heavily in everything India are doing well offensively. She creates one for Indumathi who hits the side netting thanks to great defence, then tests the GK herself with a shot on target. Iran hang on.

Group A, 58 mins India 0-0 Iran: A nervy moment in the defence for India when Iran appealed for a penalty, wasn’t given. We are going from “India are creating some great chances” to “are India going to rue all these missed chances at the end as Iran score against run of play” territory. Iran make a couple of changes now, perhaps realising they are under pressure at both ends of the pitch.

Group A, 55 mins India 0-0 Iran: Attacking sub by Dennerby. Brings on Dangmei Grace.

Group A, 52 mins India 0-0 Iran: CHANCES INDIA! Manisha with a good low cross from the left flank and Pyari Xaxa in the middle slides in but the effort is wide of goal. Soon after a chance from the right flank, great defence by Iran just as Pyari was about to take a shot. Corner doesn’t result in a chance as Indu tries a fancy flick but ball runs out of play.

Group A, 49 mins India 0-0 Iran: India have started the second half well. More good attacking play down the left, Indumathi heavily involved. Iran now playing on the counter, youngster Zandi trying to provide a lone outlet.

Group A, India 0-0 Iran: Second half begins.

Half time: India with more possession, more shots, more chances to score but Iran went the closest by hitting the crossbar. But India grew into the game once they weathered the early good spell for Iran. Nicely poised.

Group A, at half time India 0-0 Iran: Chances for both sides, but goalless at half time. India perhaps the better by a small margin, just for the quality of the chances they created, but Iran went closest by hitting the crossbar. But ultimately, both the goalkeepers haven’t had to make huge saves.

Group A, 45 mins: India 0-0 Iran Just feels like the half time will come at the right time for both teams. Scrappy affair now.

Group A, 41 mins: India 0-0 Iran Indumathi and Manisha are involved in everything good India have been doing in an attacking sense. Feels like the goalkeeper is a bit jittery, India need some shots on target. The former seems to be everywhere at the moment, crosses from the right and left, making later runs into the box to help out the forwards.

Group A, 35 mins: India 0-0 Iran CHANCE, INDIA! Fortuitous, but huge. Pyari with a mishit shot on goal that turns out to be a good through ball for Indhumathi. The onrushing midfielder couldn’t find the target, the ball bouncing awkwardly in front of her to keep the shot down. India certainly have settled down now but haven’t tested the jittery goalkeeper with shots on target.

Group A, 33 mins: India 0-0 Iran CHANCES! A cross from the right flank finds Manisha unmarked a few yards away from goal. She tries to angle it behind but couldn’t time it right. Off target! Best chance so far. Soon after the Iran GK fails to deal with a cross, Manisha tries to steady herself and have a shot on goal, but the defence recovers. Best spell of the match for India.

Group A, 27 mins: India 0-0 Iran Injury worry for Manisha, but she is alright to carry on. India cannot to lose her, seems to be the biggest attacking outlet they have on the pitch.

Group A, 23 mins: India 0-0 Iran A stray header behind from a defensive free kick almost puts Zandy through on goal and her toepoke goes just wide. India nearly shot themselves in the foot there. Iran continuing to dictate tempo, a corner for them (First) results in some chaos but eventually free kick for India.

Group A, 16 mins: India 0-0 Iran Half chance for India. Indhumathi releases Manisha down the left with a lovely through ball. The cross/shot from the left foot of Manisha lands on the roof of the net.

Group A, after 12 mins India 0-0 Iran: CHANCE IRAN! A looping header nearly beats Aditi Chauhan in goal, crossbar comes to India’s rescue. The resulting chaos sees somehow India clear the ball despite penalty appeals. India have not seen much of the ball in the recent minutes. All Iran at the moment.

Group A, India 0-0 Iran after 6 mins: Couple of early chances from the setpiece for India. Corners, one delivered into the box (nearly through) and then one played short. Anju was the taker. Manisha then with a cross from open play that nearly finds a header far post. There was a good counter chance for Iran too. Good positive start from both sides.

1’ KICK OFF: Pre-match formalities done. We are underway in Navi Mumbai. A great moment for both teams.

Confirmation of India XI: 

Aditi Chauhan

Dalima Chhibber, Ashalata Devi, Manisa Panna, Sanju 

Anju Tamang,  Indumathi Kathiresan, Pyari Xaxa, Ratanbala Devi 

Sandhiya,  Manisha Kalyan

Earlier today, China, one of the favourites, started with a strong win. India would dearly love to be 2nd and take control of their quarterfinals hope with a good performance today.

Starting lineups: (Courtesy AFC)

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup match between India and Iran at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Indian squad (jersey number in brackets)

Goalkeepers: Aditi Chauhan (1), Maibam Linthoingambi Devi (2), Sowmiya Narayanasamy (3).
Defenders: Dalima Chhibber (4), Ngangbam Sweety Devi (5), Ritu Rani (6), Loitongbam Ashalata Devi (7), Manisa Panna (8), Hemam Shilky Devi (9), Sanju (10).
Midfielders: Yumnam Kamala Devi (11), Anju Tamang (12), Karthika Angamuthu (13), Nongmeithem Ratanbala Devi (14), Naorem Priyangka Devi (15), Indumathi Kathiresan (16).
Forwards: Grace Dangmei (17), Manisha Kalyan (18), Pyari Xaxa (19), Renu (20), Sumati Kumari (21), Sandhiya Ranganathan (22), Mariyammal Balamurugan (23)

INDIA
Rankings:  11 Asia,  55 World
Captain: Loitongbam Ashalata Devi 
Head Coach: Thomas Dennerby (SWE)
Qualifying results: Qualified as hosts
Previous appearances: 8
Best placing: Runners-up (1979, 1983)

With AIFF and PTI inputs