Narrow margins Indicative intensity of contests

It is often said that India in their supreme days used to beat every team with comprehensive scoreline, say 24-1 kind it had against USA way back in the early 1930s.

But the truth is not exactly that.

India had to struggle for goals in every contest, and a peep into the two editions of Asian Games where it won the gold so far, vouchsafe for the view.

The low margin victories tell us the true story, which often players of yore recount, indicates the intensity of contests that Asian Games have witnessed so far.

India might have struck 8 goals against Sri Lanka on its way to Incheon final, it was just 3-0 victory goal that gave full 2 points then in Bangkok when India won the first Asiad gold.

In the same event, India could beat Malaysia in the opener just with a solitary goal!

So also against Korea. It was a single goal margin win in the last pool match, and then 3-0 Vs Japan in the final, and again 1-0 in the final Vs Pak.

Fast forward to 1998, a gold after 32 years bear the same

After two fabulous victories in the first two matches against Singapore and Bangladesh, its just a single goal margin that took India to semis, 2-1 vs China, 2-1 Vs Korea and 3-1 Vs Japan in the semis before the final against SK went to tie break after 1-1 regulation time.

In Incheon too, keen contests were decided on a lone goal margin, India Vs Pak, India Vs Korea for instant.

Therefore it is expected that today’s final against Pakistan many not produced many goals, but intense fight, what with goalies of both sides Imran Butt and Sreejesh in full form.