Check out the LIVE score and updates from the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier between India and Qatar
Indian soccer team during a training session. Image Courtesy: Twitter @IndianFootball
Top game of the home team. Hatim Abdelaziz receives the ball from the left, his first shot is blocked, but the ball falls back on his feet and this time he hits Gurpreet. 1-0 against Qatar.
India lost this time, but it was another great performance against tough opponents. An early red card to Rahul Bheke ruined Igor Stimac’s plans, but his players gave everything on the field. They also had two good chances to score in the first half. Offensively, this was a better game for India than the previous game against Qatar. Now the team is supposed to try to score six points against Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Asia’s best team, Qatar, tried their best to score the second goal, but the Indians held out. In the end, Abdelaziz’s goal in the 33rd minute proved the difference.
Abdullah Al Ahraq’s shot from outside the area defeated Gurpreet, but the post helped the Indians. Qatar creates enough chances but cannot score the second goal of the game.
Long range effort number 32146 from Abdelkarim. Again it is a powerful one, but just above Gurpreet.
Apuia shows his skills with a great pass to Ashique, but the attacking move fails. India coach Stimac has meanwhile been reprimanded by the referee. A few words were exchanged and the Indian manager apologized, only sarcastically.
Hatim Abdelaziz this time with a shot from a distance. Hoping to beat Gurpreet and double the lead, it is far again and has not impressed the Qatar head coach.
Change for India. Apuia is replacing Glan Martins who did really well today. Meanwhile, Qatar’s free kick is in a promising position, but Al Haydos’s shot is weak.
Preview: Your preparation was far from ideal, but India would take inspiration from the draw against Asian champions Qatar in 2019 when they were on Meet the same opponent in the second leg of the joint World Cup and Asian Cup qualification on Thursday.
India had defeated the mighty Qatar 0-0 here in September 2019, a result that was considered one of the best for the team in recent times.
But India is playing its home game here as the Qatari capital has been chosen as the central venue for all remaining Group E games after qualifying was suspended last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
India’s performance has since gone down, however, while the group winners Qatar entered Thursday’s game with a high.
They defeated Luxembourg (1-0) and Azerbaijan (2-1) and played a 1-1 draw against Ireland in the international friendly matches in March.
India comes into this game after a demoralizing 6-0 win against the UAE in an international friendly in March.
In addition, India’s preparation was hit hard after a national camp in Kolkata planned for early May had to be canceled. The team reached here on May 19th only to find that the players were not getting the facilities they would have wished for.
Stimac himself had expressed frustration that it was « not ideal preparation » for the World Cup Qualification.
On the positive side, Stimac will have the chance to form a full Indian team after a long time with all the core players available and without injury concerns.
There was none in this 2019 game against Qatar due to a virus fever Talisman Sunil Chhteri, and his return will surely boost the confidence of the young Indian team.
Chhetri also missed the two international friendlies in March, including the one against the UAE when he was recovering from COVID-19 infection.
« Qatar is one of the top teams in Asia. They have had some decent results against top European and South American teams in the recent past, » said Ch hetri.
Defenders: Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bheke, Narender Gehlot, Chinglensana Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Adil Khan, Akash Mishra, Subhashish Bose.
Midfielders: Udanta Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Liston Colaco, Rowllin Borges, Glan Martins, Anirudh Thapa, Pronoy Halder, Suresh Singh, Apuia, Abdul Sahal, Yasir Mohammad, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Bipin Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan.
Changed date:
June 04, 2021 12:28:00 AM IST
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Empowered by the return of the talisman Sunil Chhetri, the team will go through a biobubble prep camp in Doha ahead of their first game against hosts Qatar on June 3.
The 23-year-old is currently training with the Indian soccer team in Doha before the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers take place in Qatar next month.
Even if India is not being considered for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, India still has a chance to win the AFC Asian Cup in China in 2023.
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