Returning to action after three years, midfielder Farukh Choudhary feels they could have scored another goal as India had to settle for a 1-1 draw against hosts Vietnam in an international friendly in Nam Dinh.
Manolo Marquez's selection of Farukh had raised eyebrows but the midfielder, who was sidelined for three years, struck a second-half goal to level things for India after Vi Hao Bui had given the hosts a 38th minute lead. "Personally, I feel great.
I've not been a part of the national team for a long time, but this is where I wanted to be. I worked hard at my clubs and I knew in my heart that I deserved to be here," Farukh said.
The last time Farukh turned out for India, he created an assist against Nepal, in October 2021, in a 1-0 victory in Male. But an unfortunate knee injury meant that he had to start from square one on his way back to the national team. "I'm glad that I could make a difference for the team, but I feel that we could have scored another," he said. "But everyone played well together as a team.