Indian national coach Wim Koevermans said he was “not pleased” with his team’s performance against Bangladesh in the international friendly which ended in a 2-2 draw [+ match report].

“We had a shaky start but picked it up. We should have finished it in the first-half itself. But first, Robin Singh’s placement went straight to the rival goalkepeer and then Clifford Miranda’s powerful shot missed by an inch,” he said at the post-match press conference.

“Bangladesh created problems for us in the second-half. But Sunil Chhetri’s class was on display and the game ended two-all,” he added.

“We need to work on a few things. I didn’t expect a draw but it happened as we failed to seal it in the first-half.”

His rival counterpart Bangladesh’s Dutch coach Lodewijk de Kruif said it was “bitter sweet for the second time.”

“We came here to play football. Our touches were on display. There were 1-2-3 touches and we were moving around. We fielded a whole lot of U-20 boys and to me the best player on the field, Hemanta Biswas is just 17-years old,” he stated.

“I am proud of my boys. It would have been nice to leave with a victory but that’s the way football is all about,” he pronounced.

“But at the same time you cannot take anything away from India. They keep coming to you all the time. Even in the SAFF Championship, they equalised in the last minute and here, they pulled it back with two minutes to go,” he opined.

(Report & Picture courtesy AIFF Media)