Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

King's Cup: India lose 1-3 to Curacao even as Chhetri scores in milestone match

Talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri struck in his milestone match but India lost 1-3 to higher-ranked Curacao in their opening tie of the King's Cup football tournament in Igor Stimac's first game in charge at Buriram, Thailand, on Wednesday.

Chhetri became the most capped India player by surpassing Bhaichung Bhutia's 107 international matches and he scored the lone goal for his side in the 31st minute from a spot kick for his 69th goal, though it did not make any difference to the result of the match.


The 82nd ranked Caribbean island nation, which has two players plying trade in English Premier League and some others in European leagues, scored three in the space of 18 minutes—through Roly Bonevacia (16th), Elson Hooi (18th) and Leandro Bacuna (33rd).

A sloppy first half in which India—ranked 101—defended and attacked poorly, saw the team trailing 1-3 at the breather. The new defensive set up, with Rahul Bheke coming in as central defender, was looking out of sorts with lack of anticipation and communication.

India played a vastly improved football in the second 45 minutes, which was played mostly under rain, but could not score another goal.

Stimac's charges made at least four chances in the second half with two coming to the 34-year-old Chhetri whose first attempt hit the upright and the other—another free header—sailing over the bar.

Though high-profile Stimac, a World Cup bronze medallist and former Croatia manager, began his stint as India coach on a losing note, there were positives to be taken from the match against a more technically superior side.

The Croatian gaffer gave international debuts to as many as five players, including to Under-17 World Cup captain Amarjit Singh, and the Indian side played possession football and mostly through ground passes.

Curacao dominated the first half but surprisingly India had more possession with 53 per cent as against 47. The second half was an even contest with India threatening to score several times and they completely dominated the final 15 minutes though another goal eluded them in the end.

Udanta Singh was in his usual good touch with most of the Indian attacks coming from the right flank with his fast runs creating problems from Curacao.

But it was Sahal Abdul Samad who was clearly the best Indian player on the field. He was all over the pitch at the centre of the park, initiating attacking moves, making fine turns to get the better of his opponents and not afraid of holding the ball.

The introduction of Amarjit and Raynier Fernandes in the second half also added impetus to the Indian attack with both having a fine match overall.

"Conceding three goals in the first half against a technically superior team was always going to be difficult to come back. It's a new team with a lot of new players coming in," Chhetri said after the match.

"We made mistakes, especially in the first half. We are going to go to the drawing board and see what we did wrong. We hope to recover fast for the third-place match and do better," he added.

India play the losing team of the match between Thailand and Vietnam in the third-place play-off on Friday.

More For You

CSK vs RCB

CSK and RCB-tune in for this blockbuster clash between two IPL heavyweights

Getty Images

IPL 2025 - CSK vs RCB: Chennai and Bengaluru's clash of titans

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is back with another highly anticipated encounter as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lock horns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 8th match of the 2025 season. The match will take place at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 28th at 7:30 PM IST. Both teams are coming off strong wins in their previous matches and are eager to extend their winning streaks, making this clash one that fans won’t want to miss.

Team analysis: Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

CSK, one of the most successful franchises in IPL history, comes into this game with confidence after a thrilling victory over Mumbai Indians. Although the chase wasn’t entirely smooth, CSK managed to pull off a win with 4 wickets in hand. Their bowling unit, led by the young sensation Noor Ahmad, was instrumental in restricting Mumbai to a modest total of 155/9. Noor’s outstanding spell of 4 wickets for just 18 runs earned him the well-deserved Man of the Match title, while Khaleel Ahmed also chipped in with 3 wickets.

Keep ReadingShow less
Streeting: Health deal signals new era in UK-India ties

Foreign Office minister Catherine West, health secretary Wes Streeting and equalities minister Seema Malhotra during the Holi Reception in London.

Streeting: Health deal signals new era in UK-India ties

THE recent health and life sciences agreement between the UK and India will strengthen cooperation on healthcare innovation and security in both countries, health secretary Wes Streeting said.

Speaking at the Holi reception organised by the India All-Party Parliamentary Group and the 1928 Institute in London on Monday (24), he added that the contribution of British Indians has been pivotal in the growth of the NHS since its inception in 1948, and a robust partnership between the two nations will ensure we have a healthcare provider 'fit for the future'.

Keep ReadingShow less
Renée Zellweger Joins Only Murders in the Building Season 5 Cast

Renée Zellweger joins the cast of Only Murders in the Building Season 5, bringing more star power to the hit series

Getty Images

Renée Zellweger joins ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 5 with an expanded star-studded cast

The Oscar-winning actress joins Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short in Hulu’s hit mystery-comedy for an exciting new season.

Renée Zellweger is the latest Hollywood star to join Hulu's hit mystery-comedy Only Murders in the Building for its fifth season. The two-time Academy Award winner will share the screen with series regulars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, adding to the show’s already impressive line-up of guest stars.

Keep ReadingShow less
british-steel-iStock

An aerial view of Steel Plant Industry in Scunthorpe. (Photo: iStock)

British Steel to shut blast furnaces, up to 2,700 jobs at risk

BRITISH STEEL, owned by Chinese group Jingye, confirmed on Thursday that it will shut down its blast furnaces and steelmaking operations in England, attributing the decision to market challenges, tariffs, and rising environmental costs.

The closures, first proposed in late 2023, could lead to the loss of up to 2,700 jobs at the company’s main UK site in Scunthorpe, northern England, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Keep ReadingShow less