The eTigers were drawn in Group D of the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022 held in Bella Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark. Round 1 of the Nations Cup ended with India clinching their first ever win and claiming 5 points from the first 5 matches.
The team faced Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Mexico, and Morocco. Charanjot Singh, Saransh Jain, and Siddh Chandarana represented the Indian eFootball National Team at the event.
Match 1: Italy 1-1 India
India’s first ever match in the FIFAe Nations Cup was against Italy, which is ranked 8th in the world. During their first contest, Charanjot & Saransh went up against Italy’s Obrun2002 & Danipitbull.
After an intense battle which saw Italy attack for most of the first half but the Indian side defended with grit and determination to preserve their clean sheet. After a couple of golden chances which were not converted by the Italians, the game ended in a stalemate with both Italy and India earning a point each.
Match 2: India 0-1 Netherlands
Next up, India faced the Netherlands. one of the top seeds in the entire FIFAe fraternity. The Netherlands is ranked third in the world and certainly a tough opponent. They proved to get the better of India as they claimed three points with a 1-0 win. India once again put up a strong defensive performance, but their scoreless run continued as India could not find the back of the net.
Match 3: Poland 3-2 India
Poland is ranked 21st, while India is ranked 18th. This match was what we’d consider a match of two halves. During the first half, India scored their first goal of the tournament in the 36th minute. In the 49th minute of the second half, they managed to score their second goal and extend their lead by 2-0.
Lokmanyu Chaturvedi (Coach), Siddhh Chandarana, Charanjot Singh, and Saransh Jain in action at the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022
India dominated the game and kept a cushioned scoreline until the hour mark. However, Poland picked up their socks and mounted a comeback against the eTigers. Two fantastic goals in a space of less than a minute brought the Polish side back into the game and they sealed their victory with a lucky penalty.
Match 4: Mexico 0-0 India
Heading on to the fourth match against Mexico, India was a little down in spirits but hadn’t lost their faith. Mexico is a strong team and holds a world ranking of #8 in the world. However, both teams could not manage to get the ball in, and the game ended up with a 0-0 scoreline. Both teams took a point away.
Match 5: India 2-1 Morocco
The final match of Round 1. India was up against Morocco, which is ranked 38th in the world rankings. The first half of the match ended up in a 0-0 deadlock. The game picked up pace in the second half and the Indian eFootball team managed to slot two goals to have a cushioned lead against Morocco.
Morocco scored a late goal, but it was not enough at the end of the final whistle. Owing to their superb performance, India sealed their first ever FIFAe Nations Cup 2022 victory bagging 3 more crucial points.
The eTigers performed when it mattered the most, leading the team to victory. The boys kept their cool and were calm and composed throughout the day. They played to their strengths, and at the end of the day, the team secured 5 points. Team India finished 5th in Group D during Round 1.
The FIFAe Nations Cup is played in a round-robin format, where each team will face their opponents twice. India will have another chance to prove its mettle tomorrow.
Here’s how the fixtures are lined up for the Indian eFootball team:
- India vs Italy: 9:35 PM
- Netherlands vs India: 10 PM
- India vs.Poland: 10:25 PM
- Mexico vs.India: 11:10 PM
- India vs.Morocco: 11:35 PM