CAFA Cup football: India’s Khalid Jamil adopts defensive strategy in 0-3 loss against Iran

If one watched the Indian national football team taking on Iran in the CAFA Cup on Monday, one could almost mistake it for the year 2018. All of the signs were there – a 4-5-1 Indian set-up with all 11 players neatly divided into three lines of resistance. The defensive strategy devised by coach Khalid Jamil managed to keep Iran, a team ranked inside the top 20 in the world rankings, to a narrow one-goal lead until the 89th minute. India’s resilience was commendable as they frustrated the Iranian attackers and limited their chances throughout the match.