India crash to humiliating defeat

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">KOCHI: Goalkeeper Sangram Mukerjee went down early to keep out an innocuous-looking right-footer from Ahmed Mubarak al Mahaijri, got his fingertips to the ball, but watched chagrined as it rolled into the net. <br /><br />Hands on hips, shoulders bowed and the look of disbelief on the faces of Baichung Bhutia and his men said it all.<br /><br />Oman had the measure of Stephen Constantine-coached India and the home side knew their bluster was called well before the final whistle was blown. India''s World Cup football qualifying campaign struck turbulence as they crashed to a humiliating 1-5 defeat in the second preliminary match of the Asia Zone Group III qualifier at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here. <br /><br />A brace each from Mohd. Mubarak al Hinai and Ahmed Mubarak al Mahaijri and a goal from Amad Ali Suliman al Hosni ensured Oman three full points. For India, Renedy Singh converted another penalty to pull one back.<br /><br />Oman''s goal came just after the start of the second session and it took the wind out of India''s sails. <br /><br />Baichung was bottled and his partner Abhishek Yadav couldn''t break through. But when Shen Sangram, the bastion of the Indian defence gave way, the writing was on the wall. <br /><br /><formid=367815></formid=367815></div> </div>