Syria Secures First Title on Indian Soil with 3-0 Victory Over India in Intercontinental Cup 2024
On Monday, Syria made history by triumphing over India 3-0 to win the Intercontinental Cup football tournament at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad. The goals for Syria came from Mahmoud Al Aswad (7th minute), Daleho Irandust (76th minute), and Pablo Sabbag (90+6th minute), marking a significant milestone in their football journey.
Their resilience was evident in the tournament as they defeated Mauritius 2-0, giving them a strong position in the league. Even when Mauritius held India to a goalless draw on September 3, Syria’s determination shone through.
This match marked a disappointing start for Manolo Marquez as India’s new head coach. Marquez, who took over from Igor Stimac in July, faced a tough challenge in his debut.
They finished the round-robin stage with six points after their win against Mauritius and the 3-0 victory over India. India and Mauritius ended with just one point each from their matches.
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The tournament’s format means the highest-ranked team after the round-robin stage is declared the champion, so there was no final match. India had previously won the title in 2018 and 2023, while this was Syria’s first-ever title and the first time they won on Indian soil.
They have a history of near-misses in India, including losing the Nehru Cup finals to India in 2007 and 2009 and finishing fourth in 2012. Their previous best finish in the Intercontinental Cup was third place in 2019. The last team encounter was a 1-0 win for Syria in the Asian Cup in Qatar earlier this year.