HYDERABAD: Syria, the highest ranked team in the tournament at No. 93, justified their billing as they routed defending champions India 3-0 to lift the Intercontinental Cup at the GMC Balayogi stadium on Monday.
While goals from Mohmoud Al Aswad (7th) and Daleho Mohsen Irandust (77th minutes) sealed India's fate, Pablo David Sabbag Daccarett (90+6) summed up the hosts' struggle against a much superior side.
Coming into the match after a goalless draw against Mauritius in the opener, India needed a win to defend the title. Coach Marquez made seven changes from the previous game.
However, it was the visiting team that made early inroads. Al Aswad put them ahead in the seventh minute, tapping a pass from Daleho Mohsen Irandust past Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Syria had a great chance to double the lead in the 20th minute when Yasin Dali got the ball with no defenders to stop him. But he hit it wide off Gurpreet Singh.
India fought back through Sahal Abdul Samad, but his long ranger in the 30th minute found Syrian goalkeeper Ellias Hadaya. The two extra minutes in the first half saw the 124th ranked team come close to scoring when Sahal found the ball in the box but could not clear the Syrian defender.
India looked a better side in the second half. They came close to finding the equaliser through Lallianzuala Chhangte in 54th and 60th minutes.
Daleho Mohsen doubled the lead for the visitors in the 77th minute when he took the ball on the right and ran in close to sneak it past Gurpreet.
India tried hard to get back in the game in the 87th minute when Edmund Lalrindika, who failed to see a clear passage, took a shot at the goal without success. Liston Colaco also came close in the 94th minute.
Pablo David finished the game in style for the visitors.
Coach Marquez said he was disappointed with the first half show. "I didn't like the team not being brave. We were scared. The scoresheet is not the real picture. We deserved to score. It was a similar game to Mauritius. They had good players on the counterattack," he said.
Syria defeated Mauritius 2-0 in their opening match and ended the roundrobin league with six points. India and Mauritius finished the tournament with a point each after their goalless draw on Sept 3. The highest-ranked team after the round-robin league wins the tournament, there is no final.
India had won the title in 2018 and 2023, while it was the first trophy for Syria who had finished third in 2019.
