India's 2026 FIFA World Cup Dreams Dashed with 2-1 Loss to Qatar in Qualifiers
Lallianzuala Chhangte netted India's sole goal in the first half, as the Indian football team concluded their campaign in Group A in third place, securing just one victory across six matches.
India Exits FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers After Loss to Qatar
The Indian men's football team saw their FIFA World Cup 2026 aspirations come to an end following a narrow 2-1 defeat against the reigning Asian champions, Qatar, in their final Group A match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Tuesday. This loss meant India finished third in their group and missed out on progressing to the third round of the qualifiers.
Group A Standings and Results
India managed only one win in six matches, securing them third place in Group A. Despite a valiant effort, they could not advance further. Qatar, leading the group, along with Kuwait, who secured a 1-0 victory over Afghanistan on the final matchday, moved on to the next round of the qualifiers.
Match Highlights: India vs. Qatar
Ranked 121st in the world, India took an unexpected lead against the 34th-ranked Qatari side. The breakthrough came in the 37th minute when Lallianzuala Chhangte found the net, converting a precise low cross from Brandon Fernandes.
The early stages of the game saw Indian goalkeeper and captain, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, under immense pressure. Within the first two minutes, he was forced into action, making a critical save to keep his team in contention. Throughout the first 15 minutes, Qatar relentlessly attacked, keeping Gurpreet on his toes.
India had a golden opportunity to extend their lead just after the half-hour mark. Manvir Singh found himself one-on-one with the Qatari goalkeeper but failed to capitalize. The rebound fell to Chhangte, but he too couldn't find the target.
Qatar's Comeback
Qatar, trailing at halftime, surged forward in the second half. They equalized in the 73rd minute when Yousef Aymen fired in a shot, bringing the score to 1-1. Despite India's strong defensive efforts, the hosts continued to press for a winning goal.
India had their moments to regain the lead, with Jay Gupta and Liston Colaco coming close in the 83rd minute. However, it was Qatar who sealed the game shortly after. Ahmed Al-Rawi scored the decisive goal in the 85th minute, capitalizing on a series of missed Indian opportunities.
A Brave Fight
India fought hard in the final minutes, but the elusive equalizer remained out of reach. The team's spirited display was not enough to overcome the strong Qatari side. With this result, India's journey in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers came to a commendable but ultimately disappointing conclusion.
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