Jordan defeated India 2-1 in an international friendly at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman. Amer Shafi and Ihsan Haddad bagged the goals for Jordan while Nishu Kumar managed a consolation for the visitors.
India, already without the services of talisman Sunil Chhetri for this game, started with midfielder Anirudh Thapa up front, as none of the seven attackers who were earlier stuck at the Kuwait International Airport made the starting eleven.
Germanpreet Singh and Vinit Rai partnered Pronay Halder in the midfield as Sandesh Jhingan was left out. Salam Ranjan Singh and Anas Edathodika were at the heart of defence for India.
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, captain for the night was called into action early as the referee harshly awarded a penalty for a handball by Pritam Kotal. Bani Atiyeh, taking the spot-kick for Jordan, saw it saved by the Bengaluru FC keeper.
It was Gurpreet, however, who made the mistake for Jordan’s opening goal as he misjudged the flight of opposition keeper Shafi’s kick. The ball bounced over his head and the Indian custodian was off his line to concede a sloppy goal.
The Blue Tigers did not muster any chances for the rest of the half as Faisal could have made it 2-0 to Jordan.
After the re-start, the lead was eventually doubled as Jordan countered from a Thapa corner and Sameer’s lay-off to Haddad was finished first time past Gurpreet at his near post.
Substitute Nishu Kumar, on the pitch for five minutes, gave India a lifeline. Germanpreet Singh ran to the edge of the penalty box and his low cross was rifled past Shafi by an unmarked Nishu, who was making his first appearance for India.
Sumeet Passi and Narayan Das then came on to trying to bag a goal for India. It was not to be as Jordan held for the victory.
