India vs Syria Highlights, AFC Asian Cup 2023: Omar Khribin scores to hand Syria 1-0 win

Omar Khribin, who gave Syria the 1-0 lead, plays as a forward or a winger for Emirati Club Al-Wahda. In 2017, Khribin became the first Syrian ever to win the Asian Footballer of the Year.

The substitute Omar Khrbin has scored to give Syria 1-0 lead. 

He pushes the ball past Gurpreet's right hand on the near post after Syria won the ball in the midfield, and neatly moved their way into the Indian box on the left. 

INDIA 0-1 SYRIA

Syria take a corner but Indian defence manages to scramble the ball out and in the blink of an eye, Chhangte is running away with just the goalkeeper between him and the goal. 

But two defenders catch up to him as Chhangte slows to look around if there is hel arriving. Syria thwart the threat. 

After 69 minutes, INDIA 0-0 SYRIA

A chance for Syria. Ammar Ramadan is released on the left flank, but before he can as much as look up at goal, Nikhil Poojary has arrived to mark him. The Indian defender closes the angle just enough for Ramadan's shot to hit the net from the outside. Good defending from Poojary. 

After 66 minutes, INDIA 0-0 SYRIA

Sunil Chhetri creates a chance out of nothing! He finds the ball on the right flank, just outside the box, and he manages to evade a dfender. He then rolls the ball into the path of Sahal Abdul Samad. Sahal's right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.     .

Hesar shoves Mishra off the ball in the Indian box on the left flank and then lofts a cross. Omar Khrbin gets to the ball sans pressure, but his right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is off target. India survive. 

After 62 minutes, INDIA 0-0 SYRIA

The referee has finally had too much of India's Igor Stimac, who gets a yellow card for protesting too much. Not that the card is likely to silence him for the rest of the game. 

WHAT A MISTAKE FROM THE SYRIAN KEEPER!!! 

A ball is looped into the Syrian box, more as a optimistic attempt than anything. But Syria keeper Ahmad Madanieh rushes out from his line and tried to grab the ball with both hands. And manages to make a mess of it. 

The ball bounces into the past of an Indian player on the left, but he cannot make anything off of it. and the ball is sent out by Abdul Rahman Weiss for a corner. 

Still goalless.

Nikhil Poojary replaces Sandesh Jhingan. Not a like for like substitution and will see India rejig their defensive line. A tough, tough 45 minutes coming up for India.

Sandesh Jhingan seems to have injured his knee after an awkward fall outside the box just as the second half begins. Substituting him would be a killer blow for India's chances. Already reeling with no Anwar Ali for this tournament, India losing their best central defender with no real adequate replacements might be finally the one blow that ends this team’s already slim hopes at the Asian Cup.

Halftime and India hanging on by a thread here. Syria have grown into the game, partially due to the foul/card trouble India have managed to entangle themselves in. India's possession game was completely given up in the last fifteen minutes of that half. They will need to find that part of themselves again in the second half. A sustained Syrian attack is not something India can possibly withstand for 45 minutes.

Take a look at the touchmap of both teams. Just three touches for India in the Syrian box!!!!

Australia have taken a 1-0 lead against Uzbekistan. That is of no consequence to India, but it comes as a good news for Syrians.

Uzbekistan, with four points, have a goal difference of +2 while Syria have a goal difference of -1. They will need to score goals today if they are the leapfrog Uzbekistan in second place. 

Syria really coming close to scoring here. India giving away the ball cheaply, repeatedly and their opposition is looking dangerous on the attack at every step of the way. Gurpreet has had to punch balls away, pluck them out of the air and often put his body on the line as the last man standing.

India keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has been busy in the last 15 minutes as we approach the end of the first half. Attack after attack from Syria has been thwarted by him, and one wonders just how long he can keep India out of trouble. 

Chhangte dribbles past one and almost catches another Syrian defender but instead gets a corner for his troubles. Syria manage to clear India's corner routine and the score remains 0-0 after 34 minutes.

Deepak Tangri, who made debut in the tournament, was almost flawless against Australia. Today, he can't get a tackle in. Three dangerously mistimed tackles, lucky to not get a card and fortunate that the third one didn't lead to a penalty.

Three yellow cards for India and one for Syria in less than 30 minutes of play. Both sets of teams trying their absolute best to get the referee to show his cards at every opportunity possible. It will be surprising if this game finishes with 11 players on each team.

A brief flashpoint there between both sides, as Mahesh Naorem brings down Abdul Rahman Weiss with a heavy tug! 

Weiss gets up and charges into Naorem's body, ploughing him to the ground. 

Both players get yellow cards. Still goalless. 

Apuia loses the ball in the middle of the park and Subhasish has to come up with a block in the Indian box to save a certain goal. Syria get a couple of corner kicks going but nothing comes out of it. That loss of possession from Apuia is a dangerous one as he is the one Indian midfielder who is tasked with holding the ball in the pivot and is crucial to India's possession game.

Lalengmawia Ralte loses possession and Syria swarm the Indian box. Ibrahim Hesar shoots and Gurpreet manages to block the shot, but the ball finds its way to Ezequiel Ham, whose shot is blocked by Shubhashish Bose! 

Still goalless. 

18 minutes in and this is far too open a game for India's liking. Syria, whenever in possession, look dangerous and always a threat to score. India's best bet is to get better at holding onto the ball, especially when in the Syrian half.

WHAT A CHANCE FOR SYRIA!!!

Ezequiel Ham, who plays as a midfielder for Argentine Primera División club Independiente Rivadavia, plays a beautifully floated ball into the Indian box from the flank. And Sabbag edges ahead of Subhashish Bose to get there, but India keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is there to ward off the threat. He takes some contact from Sabbag. That was a close one. 

After a frantic start to the game, the game is just starting to settle into a gentler rhythm: one team launches an attack, sees it thwarted, and the other side takes their chance at attacking.  

The second game in the grouop, the one between Australia and Uzbekistan is also 0-0 at the moment.

Syria starting to assert themselves. And wave after wave of their attacks are coming from the right flank! 

They have a chance after E. Ham tricks his way into the bow, but he is shepherded off the ball by Lalengmawia Ralte as the ball trickles outside for a goalkick! 

Mahesh Naorem gets a cut back in the box from Manvir and he gets a shot off which is blocked by the Syria goalkeeper. But India waste the corner that comes from the blocked strike.

A couple of chances already for the Indians at the start of this game. Still nil-nil. But Indians playing with plenty of intent. 

Remember, India were the runners-up at the event, but that was way back in 1964!!!

This is their 5th time qualifying for the main tournament.

Rahul Bheke already shown a yellow card with just two minutes on the clock. Not a good start considering Bheke's position as a central defender. India needs a win here to keep any hopes of staying in the AFC Asian Cup alive.

India and Syria have both not scored in two games at the AFC Asian Cup. India coming out with a formation they usually don't use. Most importantly, Lallianzuala Chhangte, a winger who is usually at the key of the attack, starts in a midfield three along with Apuia and Deepak Tangri.

Oh man! Less than two minutes on the clock and Rahul has earned himself a yellow card by trying to kick the ball clear, missing completely and making contact with the face of a Syrian player. 

The Indian team playing in its traditional blue kit while Syrians are playing in white kits. 

This will be the seventh meeting between India and Syria's football teams. This is the first time they have met in the AFC Asian Cup.

India have a slight upper hand coming into this game, with three wins compared to just two for Syria.

The last meeting between the two sides --  in the 2019 Intercontinental Cup -- ended as a 1-1 draw.

Hello and welcome ot our live coverage of the India vs Syria match from the AFC Asian Cup. India are in a must-win situation after losing both their previous matches.