Image Credit- Hindustan Times.
On 26th March 2024 Indian Football Team faced Afghanistan in a World Cup Qualifier Game. A win in this game would have improved their chances of qualifying in the next round of the World Cup. However, what happened in this game was nothing short of a disgrace.
The Indian national football team took the lead in the 37th minute of the game. A handball in the penalty area led to the hosts being awarded a penalty. Sunil Chhetri confidently stepped up and successfully converted it, marking his 94th goal in his 150th appearance. However, in the 70th minute, Rahmat Akbari equalized with a goal aided by a significant deflection. Sharif Mukhammad then scored from a penalty kick in the 88th minute, taking advantage of an error by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The 2-1 defeat left fans and players frustrated as this outcome further underscores the challenges facing Indian football.
India maintained their second position in Group A of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, positioning themselves well for advancement to the third round. However, their journey is becoming increasingly challenging. Initially, they only required to avoid defeat against Kuwait in Kolkata in June after leading with Chhetri's penalty until the 71st minute in Guwahati on Tuesday. Now, securing a victory has become imperative. The question remains: will India fulfill Stimac's repeated promises and targets to qualify for the third round? This will be determined in June when they confront Kuwait at home before traveling to Qatar for the final two World Cup qualifiers.
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