India go down to Walsall

The Indian football team rounded off its England tour on a disappointing note, losing to Division I side Walsall 0-2 on Friday.

Playing at the Bescot stadium for the first time since winning promotion, Walsall, popularly known as the 'Saddlers', fielded three new players in their starting line-up and were always in control of the match.

New recruits Erivelto and Adolphus Ofodile displayed their skills early as they tested the Indian defence. The former had a chance as early as the fifth minute but shot wide from close.

The Indians took time to settle down and perhaps came up with their best showing on the tour. Their midfield, though lost posession often, was more organised and defence, in which Mahesh Gowli and Deepak Mondal did well, was surer in the air.

In midfield, Jules Alberto and Hardeep Singh Sangh worked tirelessly and came up with some good moves to put Baichung Bhutia through, but the Bury FC forward was unable to breakaway from some close marking by the Saddlers' defenders.

The Saddlers should have been at least two goals up in the first half, but first Don Goodman shot wide and then Indian goalkeeper Sangram Mukherjee, who had a good match, tipped over a stiff shot from Pedro Matias from close.

India had just only clear look at goal late in the first half, but, Jules Alberto, who advanced down the middle, was unable to connect home a cross from the left.

Midway through the second half Bhutia had a good look at goal as he broke through, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper James Walker.

And just when the match looked drifting towards a draw, the Saddlers struck. Erivelto provided a high ball into the box for Jorge Leitao to head downward to the bottom corner of the net.

The goal demoralised the Indians and it was lucky that they did not concede another one immediately. A good move by Carlos Garrocho and Erivelto ended up with Leitao's stiff volley being acrobatically saved by the Indian keeper.

Towards the fag end the Indians looked a tired lot and Garrocho made the best of some lethargy in the defence to set up Byfield, who casually curled the ball home.

The Indian team, which is on its second tour of England in two years, thus finished without a victory. They lost 0-3 to Brentford FC, O-2 to former European Cup champions Nottingham Forest, held Leyton Orient 1-1 and lost to Walsall 0-2.

On the last tour, India lost 0-2 to Fulham but held first division side West Bromwich Albion to a goalless draw and beat neighbours Bangladesh 1-0 in the third and final game.