The Indian men's football team faced a tough challenge in their final Group A match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, succumbing to a 2-1 defeat against Qatar at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. This loss marked the end of India’s World Cup journey, as they finished third in their group with only one win from six matches.
Match Highlights:
1. First Half: Lallianzuala Chhangte opened the scoring for India in the 37th minute, putting the team ahead.
2. Second Half: Qatar equalized through Yousef Aymen in the 73rd minute, followed by a decisive goal from Ahmed Al-Rawi in the 85th minute.
Despite a commendable effort, India couldn’t secure the necessary points to advance to the third round. Kuwait, who edged out Afghanistan, joined Qatar in progressing from Group A.
Key Performances:
1.Gurpreet Singh Sandhu: India’s goalkeeper and captain made several crucial saves early in the match.
2.Lallianzuala Chhangte: Scored India’s only goal, showcasing his attacking prowess.
3.Mehtab took crucial intervention just nine minutes after restart.
Tags:
India