India lost by 1-2 against Oman on Thursday in their home ground during their opening Group E match of the FIFA World Cup.
Even though India played well in its first half with an exceptional performance by Sunil Chhetri scoring a goal against Oman in the 24 minutes of the game and a world-class save by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Oman came back with two mind-blowing goals in the final few minutes bringing the score to 2-1.
HT: A delightful @chetrisunil11 goal in the 24th-minute puts India ahead at the end of the first half.
🇮🇳 1-0 🇴🇲#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 #WCQ 🌏🏆 pic.twitter.com/AmVTkfb5Fj
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019
79' SO CLOSE! Rusheidi stops an attempt from @chetrisunil11 after substitute Manvir Singh had found him with a through ball.
🇮🇳 1-0 🇴🇲#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 #WCQ 🌏🏆 pic.twitter.com/Cu9MjIBMeS
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019
Throughout the match, ‘The Blue Tigers’ had an upper hand but somehow Oman skipper Alawi Al Mandhar, with patience and consistency managed to make his way through the defensive play of India giving a final victory to Oman.
82' Al- Mandhar scores to equalize Oman's deficit.
🇮🇳 1-1 🇴🇲#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 #WCQ 🌏🏆
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019
90' Al-Mandhar scores his second of the match to hand Oman the lead.
🇮🇳 1-2 🇴🇲#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 #WCQ 🌏🏆
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019
Even after the addition of three more minutes to the game, Indian players could not crack through the Oman team, settling at a final score of 1-2.
3 mins added on.
🇮🇳 1-2 🇴🇲#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 #WCQ 🌏🏆
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019
FT: Despite leading for most of the match courtesy of @chetrisunil11's 24th-minute strike, a late brace by Al-Mandhar hands India a defeat in their opening match of the #WCQ.
🇮🇳 1-2 🇴🇲#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 pic.twitter.com/JR0n4D6aUJ
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019
The match which was held at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati was the first qualifier of 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup. Currently, India ranks at 103 and Oman at 87 in the world-class football event and India has never won any FIFA match against Oman till date.
The next match of India is against Qatar, the host country of 2022 FIFA World Cup, at Doha on 10 September.
