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
Qatar center-back Bassam Al Rawi gets the ball and has plenty of time to pull a long shot. He tries but he hits it high and low.
Qatari attackers would do well to find some space in the Indian penalty area, but Sandesh makes it at the last second. Qatar also has a great chance from a corner but the header goes wide.
It’s going to be a long night for the Indian team. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who was afraid of a game when these two teams last met, has to reproduce some of the brilliance he demonstrated two years ago.
RED CARD to Rahul Bheke. It looks like he’s trying to stop the ball with his hand, but that’s outside the box. It was shown in yellow earlier. It’s tough for India. The game has not even finished 20 minutes and there are already 10 men.
Qatar sees opportunities on the right. They put the crosses on, but so far it’s not too threatening for India.
Al Haydos made a good run on the left channel but is not good enough to beat the defenders. Yusuf, meanwhile, does well on the right to step in and pass Abdelaziz, whose first shot goes over the crossbar. Should have done better there.
Qatar calls for a handball against Sandesh in the penalty area as the Indian defender tries to remove the risk of a free kick. But the referee says no.
A yellow card for Rahul Bheke after a foul on Qatar captain Al Haydos. Sandesh had previously pulled an awkward one in the penalty area, but luckily the referee didn’t see him.
As expected, India kept their form well without the ball and then tried to counter Qatar. A couple of good attacking moves by the visiting team. Glan Martins is very promising in midfield.
First shot on goal for Qatar. Lots of space in the box for the attacker. But Gurpreet dives to his right and shows a good save.
Preview: Your preparation was far from ideal, but India would be inspired by the draw against Asian champions Qatar in 2019 when they played in the second leg on Thursday meet the same opponent in a joint World Cup and Asian Cup qualification.
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 selected as the central venue for all remaining Group E games after qualifying was suspended last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, India’s performance has been lagging since then gone down while 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 03, 2021 10:51:01 PM 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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