Followed by a 5-1 loss to Spain. A much improved performance but some tears in the changing room after as the reality of the situation sank in. There was talk of closing the gap on the top 10 teams at the Commonwealth Games but even if Wales improve over time, the professional teams are improving at a faster rate so the gap is just becoming wider. Last group game on Thursday against India, who will probably need a big win to top the group so another testing one coming up.
More injury issues with the second keeper partially rupturing his ACL and meniscus. Dehli belly has struck too - a defender was 'shitting blood' on Saturday and got taken to hospital. Other lads have had bad bottoms too. The switch from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar yesterday was delayed by smog so it's been a tough few days all in all.
However, they got thrown today when they turned up to visit a local school and found 7,000 students there to greet them as though Kohli and Tendulkar had rocked up. A guard of honour, gifts, news reporters (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9dqujTJREA) and scrums of autograph hunters. All the players' families out there were invited to a function at the team hotel tonight too. My lad said it's been a mad, incredible day. It's almost as though he's got no regrets for missing the City/Wigan game.