Nabi`s strike helps India hold Malaysia

Guwahati: Syed Rahim Nabi`s last-gasp equaliser helped India salvage a draw in their international friendly football match on.

With time running out, Nabi struck in the 88th minute to ensure that new coach Savio Medeira`s tenure at the helm does not start on a wrong note at the Indira Gandhi national stadium. Playing under floodlights, Malaysia, ranked nine places above the hosts at 151st, drew first blood when Rahim Saffique scored after receiving a square pass from Abdur Razaq in the 38th minute. The match started with the visiting side making attacking moves but Indian goal keeper Paramjit Singh thwarted their efforts with some brilliant saves. India`s star striker Sunit Chettri also made some threatening moves but the alert Malaysian defenders ensured that the scoreline was 1-0 at half time. After the breather the Indian team went for the kill and, in the 43rd minute of the second half, Nabi utilised a miss-pass from Razzak to score the equaliser. The match was confined to midfield for most of the time, with the payers affected by mist, which engulfed the stadium midway through the match. PTI