India lose to Iraq in penalty shootout after ‘controversial’ decision of referee

THAILAND: India conceded a late goal off a debatable penalty to miss out on its first ever win over higher-ranked Iraq who won via penalty shootout in the Kings Cup on Thursday.

India was leading 2-1 till the 79th minute when the referee awarded a soft penalty to Iraq after their striker Aymen Ghadhban was squeezed by two defenders in the box during a tussle to get on to a high cross.

Ghadhban himself stepped up to take the kick from the spot and scored to level the match 2-2 and take it to the penalty shootout.

Iraq then won 5-4 in the shootout with Brandon Fernandez failing to score as his kick hit the post and went out. Under the tournament’s rule, the match was decided via penalty shootout if the scores are level in the regulation time and there will be no extra time.

It was a creditable show by the Indian team, which was without their talismanic striker and captain Sunil Chhetri, who missed the tournament after becoming a father recently. India played on equal terms against Iraq, ranked 70th in the FIFA chart, for the most part of the semifinal match.

Earlier, Mahesh Naorem had given India the lead in the 16th minute before Karim Ali equalised in the 28th minute, also from the penalty spot.India took the lead in the 51st minute with Iraq captain and goalkeeper Jalal Hasan conceded an own goal with a howler of an effort.

Iraq was reduced to 10 men in the injury stoppage time as Zidane Iqbal was sent off for elbowing Brandon Fernandez but India could not capitalise much on that as the regulation time ended within a minute and there was no extra time of play.

The loss ended India’s 11-match unbeaten streak this year.

India has played seven matches against Iraq earlier with the ‘Lions of Mesopotamia’ winning six times, while one game has ended in a draw.