Defending champions India sans star striker Baichung Bhutia failed to impress as they went down 0-1 to Syria in their inconsequential last round-robin match of the Nehru Cup international football tournament in New Delhi, on Saturday.
Having already qualified for Monday's final against the same opponents, India rested Bhutia, who had received a yellow card in the tournament opener against Lebanon.
His strike partner Sunil Chhetri was also brought in the last 10 minutes of the game as India started without four first eleven players.
For Syria, who also started without four of their main players, including star striker Mohammad Al Zeno, defender Ali Dyab scored the all-important goal in the 19th minute in the match seen as the dress rehearsal for Monday's summit clash.
India ended their league engagements with two wins and two losses while Syria maintained their clean slate with four wins from as many matches.
In the last edition in 2007, India had lost their round-robin match against the same opponents before eventually beating them 1-0 in the final.
The home team, led by Renedy Singh, failed to build up well coordinated moves with lots of mis-passes and the midfield of Climax Lawrence and Mehrajuddin Wadoo lacking imagination.
Wadoo later combined with NP Pradeep. India's defence blues in the tournament continued as Syrian defender Ali Dyab was given a free header into the net in the 19th minute for the visitors to take a 1-0 lead to the dismay of a near capacity crowd at the Ambedkar Stadium.
Indian goalkeeper Subrata Paul had no clue how the header had come in off a free kick from outside the left of the India box taken by Moutaz Kaildni.
India escaped from conceding another goal in the 30th minute with goalkeeper Paul making a fine save.
Central defender Gouramangi Singh did a blunder by gifting the ball to Syrian captain Raja Rafe while trying to clear. Raje sidestepped Gouramangi inside the box but his rasping left footer was tipped over the bar in time by Paul.
The best chance for India to get an equaliser came in the 39th minute but Wadoo, who was starting for the first time, in the tournament headed over with only the goalkeeper to beat off a pin-point pass from right winger Syed Rahim Nabi.
Coach Bob Houghton brought in Pradeep after the breather in place of Climax Lawrence to infuse some sting into the Indian attack.
No doubt, India put pressure on the Syrians but they failed to have a clear look at the opposition goal.
New attacking pair of Abhishek Yadav and Sushil Singh rarely looked like finding the target and they lacked co-ordination.
The wingers Renedy Singh and Rahim Nabi failed to supply from the flanks.
It was rather the Syrians who had a shot at the Indian goal in the 55th minute but Moutaz Kaildni's right footer from outside the box was cleared by Paul for a corner by diving to his right.
In the 68th minute, Pradeep nearly scored but his diving header off an aerial pass from Renedy was tipped off by Syrian goalkeeper Mustafa Shakoush, who is playing his first game.
India brought in Steven Dias in place of Sushil Singh in the 69th minute to press for an equaliser. Next minute, Mahesh Gawli made a fine overlapping run and found himself at the left top corner of the Syrian box but his right footer lacked direction.
Syria had a quick counter attack but it was again Paul who blocked an Abdul Razak Al Hussain left footer.
India introduced Chhetri in the 80th minute but failed to get the equaliser. Chhetri himself missed a sitter as his free left footer off a low cross from Dias lacked direction and was not powerful enough to beat the Syrian goalkeeper.
