PUNE: National football coach
Wim Koevermans said he was "not pleased" with India's performance against
Bangladesh in the international friendly which ended in a 2-2 draw in Margao on Wednesday.
"We had a shaky start but picked it up. We should have finished it in the first-half itself. But first,
Robin Singh's placement went straight to the rival goalkeeper (Sahidul Alam) and then
Clifford Miranda's powerful shot missed by an inch," he said at the post-match press conference.
Captain
Sunil Chhetri scored a brace, in the 14th and 88th minutes, to save India the blushes.
Down by a goal at the interval, Bangldesh took the lead with Mithun Chowdhury and Hemanta Biswas scoring in the 52nd and 64th minute respectively.
"Bangladesh created problems for us in the second-half. But Sunil Chhetri's class was on display and the game ended two-all," Koovermans said. "We need to work on a few things. I didn't expect a draw but it happened as we failed to seal it in the first-half."
His counterpart, also a Dutchman, Lodewijk Dariusde Kruif said it was a "bitter sweet (result) for the second time."
"We came here to play football. Our touches were on display. There were 1-2-3 touches and we were moving around. We fielded a whole lot of U-20 boys and to me the best player on the field was Hemanta Biswas, just 17-years old," he said.
"I am proud of my boys. It would have been nice to leave with a victory but that's the way Football is all about.
"But at the same time you cannot take anything away from India. They keep coming to you all the time. Even in the SAFF Championship, they equalised in the last minute and here, they pulled it back with two minutes to go."
RESULT: India 2 (Sunil Chhetri 14', 88') Bangladesh 2 (Mithun Chowdhury 52', Hemanta Biswas 64').