Bengaluru: A spirited India surrendered a slender lead but still found plenty of encouragement as they held world No. 44 Panama to a 1-1 draw in a FIFA international friendly on Friday.

The result against a nation that competed in the FIFA World Cup only two months ago and fielded several players from that tournament will certainly rank as the finest achievement under head coach Khalid Jamil.

Ryan Williams, an Australian of Indian descent, scored for India in the 41st minute before Omar Valencia equalised in the 68th minute to restore parity, ensuring Panama avoided a defeat against a side ranked 138th in the FIFA standings despite widespread domestic enthusiasm for the sport.

The draw will sustain morale for the Indian squad as they prepare to face the most formidable opposition in the country's footballing history, five-time World Cup champions Brazil in Kolkata on 3 October, followed by a match against two-time world champions Uruguay on 6 October.

Encouragingly, under Jamil's management, India did not simply drop deep and focus solely on defending against superior opposition. The Indian backline, led by centre-back Anwar Ali, produced an outstanding defensive performance.

Throughout the contest, India's left flank kept the Panamanian defence under constant pressure, and one such attacking build-up enabled Williams, the former Australia international who now holds Indian citizenship, to open the scoring.

Following a throw-in on the left from full-back Akash Mishra, who executed a swift one-two with fellow defender Bijoy Verghese before delivering a long pass, a sprinting Williams breached the Panama defence with a well-timed run.

His angled left-footed strike proved precise, beating an advancing Marcos Reyes to settle into the back of the net.

Trailing by a goal, Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen introduced tactical changes in the second half, securing the equaliser in the 68th minute through a powerful dipping left-footed shot from Major League Soccer player Omar Valencia.

As Valencia set himself to shoot, Lalengmawia attempted to close him down but was fractionally late, leaving veteran Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu unable to react as the ball flew into the net.

However, Jamil did not permit his team to retreat into a purely defensive shape, breaking a habit that has previously undermined the side against stronger opponents.

Ashique Kuruniyan posed a continuous threat on the left wing with several incisive runs, while Williams maintained pressure from an inside-left position.

India missed their best opportunity to reclaim the lead in the 79th minute when Ashique delivered a low cross from the left, which Edmund failed to capitalise on inside the penalty area.

Two minutes later, Edmund cut in from the right wing and set up Manvir Singh, who attempted a back-heel flick instead of a straightforward finish and failed to connect cleanly.

The Indian defence faced further pressure as Panama pressed for a winning goal, but Anwar cleared the immediate danger before Gurpreet produced a save to deny World Cup veteran Carlos Harvey.

PTI