India fade after brighter start, exit Asian Cup race

To the general drama of pain that is the story of their men’s national team, India have added another.

- Dhiman Sarkar

Action during India's Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore in Goa on Tuesday.

(PTI)

One that ended hopes of a third successive Asian Cup qualification. There really is nothing to paper over the fact that India are not good enough to be among the 24 teams in Asia.

The teams collapsed to the ground at the final whistle but Singapore did with fist pumps. Tuesday's 2-1 win through a brace by Song Uiyoung, the Korean-born midfielder scoring in the 43rd and 57th minutes, was a lesson in how to escape to victory despite being second best in every piece of statistic bar the most important one.

Celebration from the away changing room that could be heard in the media conference area was proof that India’s 13 shots to Singapore's five and being II-3 in corner-kicks meant nothing.