India vs Oman HIGHLIGHTS, FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier: Oman Late Strikes Break Indian Hearts

Sunil Chhetri: "It is difficult to swallow. I think we didn't keep the ball in the second half. It's not easy if we keep giving the ball to a team like Oman. That's something we need to work on. The boys fought really well. It wasn't easy but after the first goal, we probably should have held the ball better. It was a good chance of playing at home: 1-0 at 70 minutes. We should have seen out the game. There were some good individual performances. I think we gave the ball away too much (difference from the first half). The mentality probably set in that we had to hold the 1-0 lead. It is not easy though against a side who pass and move the ball well. There were many crosses. The coach will tell how to work on the mistakes. It will be the most difficult match of the group (away to Qatar net week). As a team, we need to go and give whatever we have. We need to keep fighting and not make the small mistakes which cost us the points."

IN IT TOGETHER!! Thank You, Guwahati for your immense support. 🙌🏻💥💪🏻#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 #WCQ 🌏🏆 pic.twitter.com/SBvIhALjzR

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019

India coach Igor Stimac: "I was repeating at half time 'don't let this go'. One silly mistake in the distance and it became two mistakes. We were punished. So late in the game to lose the points which could have given us points to fight for the second place. I think we deserved more, at least a point for the first half. We dominated the first half. We created many chances and could have killed the game in the first half. Not lucky with shots. I hope whole India has new face of the national team. We have seen what we can do against a strong side like Oman. They showed quality and experience. They were little bit lucky. My guys gave everything. We didn't have many options. we knew we will have problems after 70 minutes with Ashique's condition, who came after a long injury. We knew Sandhesh will face problem with his injury. So we will lose shape in the balance. We could not take out five and put another five."

Late Oman 🇴🇲 comeback sinks India 🇮🇳

Read ⏩ https://t.co/PLhIjIS9hO#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 pic.twitter.com/zGri4OYXRs

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019

Oman coach Erwin Koeman: "India was very good in the first half I was disappointed with our level with many mistakes They deserved the win in that moment. But we were better in the second half, we had better possession. We got some big chances. We did substitutes because players were tired like the Indian players. We made two fantastic goals." 

📸 وأجمل عودة من المنذر العلوي🇴🇲 ❤️💪🏻
- بعدسة الاتحاد 👏🏻#الهند_عمان #IndiaOman pic.twitter.com/QcNWrnAyGi

— OFA - Official Page (@OmanFA) September 5, 2019

That is that... Two goals from Rabia Alawi Al Mandhar cancel outs Sunil Chhetri's first-half goal. Oman comeback from behind to beat India 2-1.

The fans though cheer for their team's effort. 

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

90' - GOAL! Rabia Alawi Al Mandhar scores again! Is that the heartbreak? 

Al Mandhar cuts in from the left and unleashes a shot that leaves the Indian goalkeeper dazed and confused. 

Fans in the stands don't know what has happened.

87' - Chance at either ends...

Chhangte was just inches away from turning in the cross from Manvir. 

Sandesh Jhingan puts in a last-ditch slide and blocks a goal-bound shot.

82' - GOAL!! Rabia Alawi Al Mandhar with the perfect lob. Oman manage to get one back. A through ball to his feet finds Gurpreet rushing out of his goal to meet him. Al Mandhar just lifts over the keeper and we are all square in Guwahati.  

82' Goal. Oman equalize as Al Mandhar gets his name on the scoresheet.

🇮🇳 1⃣-0⃣ 🇴🇲#INDOMA #BlueTigers #BackTheBlue #IndianFootball #WCQ #AsianQualifiers

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) September 5, 2019

78' - Manvir Singh comes on for Ashique Kuruniyan. What a game for the young man, especially after coming back from Injury. He can now go sit down and have a rest. 

He is straight away involved in the play... as his flick almost finds Chhetri. The Oman keeper has to come out and clear with a Superman punch.

75' - MA TUJHE SALAAM! VANDE MATARAM reverberates around the stadium!

The Indian fans have found their voice... 

70' - Mohammed Al Ghafri of Oman comes on for Salah Al-Yahyaei.

Oman have been much more on the front field. India though have  dealt with the pressure. 

67' - Oman's attack is ruled to be off-side as Gurpreet Singh Sandhu still makes a save. The whistle goes and Sandesh Jhingan clears the ball into the stands. 

The referee feels that Jhingan deserves a yellow card as the Indian defender claims he didn't hear a whistle.

65' - Lallianzuala Chhangte wrestles with the Oman defender and is ultimately brought down... lawfully the referee reckons. 

Rowllin Borges gives the free ball a good ol' thump that flies into orbit.

59' - Rowllin Borges with a rough tackle on Mohammed Al-Maslami. He gets a yellow card.

Igor Stimac makes the first change of the night. Lallianzuala Chhangte comes on for Brandon Fernandes. 

54' - Ashique Kuruniyan's run gets nowhere as he is hounded by the defence. Oman's counter-attack sees Anirudh Thapa's clearance being deflected onto his own goal. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu with the lift over the bar.

49' - Udanta Singh weaves through the defence but a slide from Abdulaziz Al Ghailani means India lose possession of the ball.

Ashique Kuruniyan receives another ball into space on the left but he only manages to run it out for goal-kick trying to take a bit more time.

46' - One change from Oman. Muhsen Al Ghassani comes in for Raed Ibrahim Saleh.

India are unchanged.  Second Half underway!

That's the end of the FIRST HALF!!

112th game for India and goal number 72. Sunil Chhetri ladies and gentlemen...

The Indian team have been on the front foot from the start and they lead at the break thanks to a goal from Chhetri in the 24th minute. Some good saves from Gurpreet as well in goal and the goalpost has saved Oman as well.

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

43' - Subhasish Bose gets a tackle wrong and Oman get a free-kick. The cross comes in and Rahul Bheke with header away.

They come again and from right. Ahmed Mubarak Al-Mahaijri jumps high but his header is straight at Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The Great Indian Wall stands tall and Oman are left frustrated.

43' SAVE!

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu with another one hand save. Superman stuff!

🇮🇳1⃣-0⃣ 🇴🇲#INDOMA #BlueTigers #BackTheBlue #IndianFootball #WCQ #AsianQualifiers pic.twitter.com/aCwurXjNdr

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) September 5, 2019

The Indian fans in the stands are finding their voice. Every pass applauded and every attack cheered. The 11 on the field are doing them proud!

38' - Udanta Singh is found in some space on the right and his cut-back evades the defender easily. He finds Anirudh Thapa in the middle, who's ball goes to the defender. 

Oman are trying to break the Indian stronghold with harsher tackles. India though look unperturbed

33' - Oman are not going to sit back and let India dictate the game. They are coming back and trying to hit the hosts with a dominant possession. 

India though are holding on and defending their lines comfortably. 

72nd goal from Captain... Leader... Legend!

CHHETRI SCORES! 

24' - Oman's Abdulaziz Al Ghailani gets a yellow card. for his tackle on Ashique Kuruniyan. 

Brandon Fernandes with free-kick from the just the outside the box on the left. Straight from the training ground, finds Chhetri making a delayed run into the 6-yard box. No one is marking him and he slots the ball into the back of the net. 

Oman are shellshocked!

24' GOOOAAAALLL!!!!

Straight from the training ground. SUNIL CHHETRI you beauty! #INDOMA #BlueTigers #BackTheBlue #IndianFootball #WCQ #AsianQualifiers pic.twitter.com/QTjuCTY5zc

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) September 5, 2019

19' - Brandon Fernandes produces a brilliant ball from deep in his half and the keeper comes in. India don't capitalise and the Oman defence sign in relief. 

From the resulting corner, Adil Khan's free header flies over the bar.

15' - Poor from the Oman keeper and Sunil Chhetri gets the ball in midfield and after a swerve away from the defender finds Udanta Singh with a through ball. He gets the ball stuck in his feet but fires in a shot that rattles the crossbar and does not go in. OH THE WOODWORK!!!

15' AGAINST THE WOODWORK! 😪@chetrisunil11 releases @UdantaK onto goal but the latter's shot 💥from a tight angle hits the bar and comes back into play.

🇮🇳 0-0 🇴🇲#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 #WCQ 🌏🏆 pic.twitter.com/rCboFEZfIr

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019

13' - ​Ashique Kuruniyan is brought down on the left side as he is sandwiched between two defenders.

Oman in the meanwhile have become more involved in the game. They are not doing much with the ball and the possession. 

Anirudh Thapa wins the ball in midfield and tries to find Sunil Chhetri. The Oman goal-keeper comes out to clear his line though. 

The fans in the stands are cheering and egging India attack.

9' SAVE! @GurpreetGK makes an easy save 🧤to deny Al-Aziz from inside the box. The lanky custodian palms a rasping shot straight into the air and then collects it easily.

🇮🇳 0-0 🇴🇲#INDOMA ⚔ #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ #BlueTigers 🐯 #WCQ 🌏🏆

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 5, 2019

6' - Ashique Kuruniyan again on the left gallops into space and sends in an early ball. The cross reaches Udanta on the far side and his ball back into the middle hits the defence. Sunil Chhetri stands alone in the middle.

4' - Ashique Kuruniyan makes a threatening run fro the left side but his centre does not find anybody. India are using a strong pressing game, not giving a second more to their opponents from Oman.

Udanta Singh gets up the field on the right side and he wins the first corner of the game.

The delivery from Anirudh Thapa was not ideal... does not even cross the first defender.