Indian Football Team brought one more point towards their side after scoring 1-1 against Afghanistan. The fourth joint qualifier match of AFC Asia Cup 2023 and FIFA World Cup 2022 of Group E between India and Afghanistan was held at the Central Republican Stadium in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
FULL-TIME! And that's the end of that! The referee blows the whistle, as the two teams share the spoils.
🇦🇫 1-1 🇮🇳#AFGIND ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 pic.twitter.com/cJwafhDRCq
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 14, 2019
Despite it being a chilly night, the Indian team kept the audience heated up with their outstanding performance. Since the beginning, the Blue Tigers were in full ‘josh’ with several attempts towards the opposition net but with no success.
With a defensive play of Afghan, it became difficult for the Indian players to break through the red team and the audience assumed the match would go goalless.
28' CHANCE! @sahal_samad wins a tackle on the edge of the Afghanistan box. @Ashique_22 follows it up with a left-footed curler, but it goes wide. 😮
🇦🇫 0-0 🇮🇳#AFGIND ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 pic.twitter.com/DMfOTpRj1k
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 14, 2019
Just ahead of the break time, Zelfagar Nazary of Afghanistan came closer to the Indian goal post and gave his best shot scoring a point for Afghanistan but like a true Tiger, India kept on their chase to end the match in a draw.
45+1 Goal! David Najem centres it low and hard, as Zelfagar Nazary slots it into the back of the net.
🇦🇫 1-0 🇮🇳#AFGIND ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 14, 2019
The talismanic player Sunil Chhetri gave several attempts at the ball but his charm was lost and finally, it was Seiminlen Doungel in the 93 minutes who levelled the match up through his brilliant shot.
84' @chetrisunil11 crosses it in towards @manvir_singh07, who heads it over the bar.
🇦🇫 1-0 🇮🇳#AFGIND ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 pic.twitter.com/ZJQGDg9UKX
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 14, 2019
90+3' GOOAAAL! @Seiminlen_9 climbs high and connects with @BrandonFern10's corner, as the ball nestles into the net! 👊
🇦🇫 1-1 🇮🇳#AFGIND ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 pic.twitter.com/Cz3AXGKL9d
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 14, 2019
The match also saw several marvellous moves of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu while perfectly saving the attacks from Afghanistan.
39' SAVE! Shayeste pulls the trigger from long range, but @GurpreetGK goes down full-stretch, as he tips it around the post.
🇦🇫 0-0 🇮🇳#AFGIND ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 pic.twitter.com/2uQXSdGWSa
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 14, 2019
The Round 2 of joint qualifier match of India will be held against Oman on 19 November.
Stay tuned!
