LIVE NOWauto-refresh
India vs Qatar Highlights, FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier: Indian football team are down to 10 men after Rahul Bheke was sent off as Abdel Aziz’s 34th goal gave Qatar the lead in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers, also the preliminary qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023, at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Thursday. India and Qatar’s previous meeting in Group E had ended in a 0-0 draw in September 2019. Indian will not be able to clinch 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, however, they can still qualify for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. As of now they are placed fourth with three points from five games and will have to come up with desirable results, first against Qatar and then against Bangladesh (June 7) and Afghanistan (June 15).
There is a huge difference in both the quality and rankings of the two teams. While Qatar are ranked 58th, India are 105th.
Abdel Aziz Hatim scored the only goal of the match after Rahul Bheke was sent off as India lost to Qatar in their 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifier.
That's that! At the full-time whistle, 10-man India go down 1-0 to Qatar.
Abdelaziz's goal in the 33rd minute turns out to be the difference between the two sides on the night.
88' - One Last Change
Qatar make one last change as Homam Ahmed come on for Abdelkarim Hassan. What a game the 'left back' has had.
3 minutes added on...
84' - Double change for India...
Ashique Kuruniyan makes way for Sahal Abdul Samad and Liston Colaco on for Suresh Singh Wangjam.
79' - Qatar's Almoez Ali goes into the referee's book for his challenge on Suresh Singh.
Meanwhile, Ismail Mohamad comes on for Yusuf Abdurisag.
75' - The referee warns Indian coach Igor Stimac for complaing.
Meanwhile, India made another change as Akash Mishra in for Bipin Singh. Interesting decision from the coach, maybe Ashique Kuruniyan will push up and thenew man fill in for him in defence.
68' - Change for India! Apuia Comes On!
Glan Martins makes his way for Lalengmawia.
Meanwhile, Qatar too had made a change as Abdullah Abdulsalam Alahraq was brought on in place of Mohammed Muntari
65' - Saved!
India were carved open at the back as Shibashish Bose lost possession but Gurpreet Singh Sandhu makes himself big and makes a good save to keep India in the game.
A minute later makes another save with his legs!
59' - Chance Lost!
India are getting chances but the final ball in behind the defence have to be better.
Manvir Singh's overcooked through ball for Udanta a prime example.
52' - Shot and Saved! Mohammed Muntari gets the ball from Abdelkarim Hassan and takes a shot on the turn but it is straight at Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who parries it away.
47' - Saved! The second half starts and so does the shots from Qatar. Abdelkarim drives into the penalty box after takes a powerful shot but Gurpreet is quick to read the danger and slides out to deny the left-back as the ball goes out for a corner.
Second half underway... Sunil Chhetri is brought off and Udanta Singh is on for India!
Abdel Aziz's goal in the 33rd minute!
🎥 | Abdulaziz Hatem scores the opening goal for Qatar #AsianQualifiers pic.twitter.com/95zG2dsTSS
— Qatar Football Association (@QFA_EN) June 3, 2021
If the odds were against India at the start of the game, after the first half they have seemed to be stacked even higher.
India have defended with almost 10 men behind the ball at times in the closing parts of the half and will need to rely on quick counter-attacks and good team shape if they are to eke out a positive result from the game.
Qatar lead at the break thanks to the Abdel Aziz strike.10-man India, on the other hand, need to find a way back in the game.
44 ' - What a chance!
Manvir Singh gets the ball from Sunil Chhetri, who releases the ball quickly. The young Indian forward tires to check back on his left after going down the right but is thwarted in his movement to kick the ball at goal.
40' - Good Run!
Ashique Kuruniyan makes a snaking run down the spine of the Qatar defence but as soon s he made his way close to the penalty box he is eased off the ball.
34' - GOAL! Qatar take the lead!
Abdel Aziz Hatim with a scrappy goal! Yusuf's cross finds its way to Abdel, who shots past a diving Gurpreet through a sea of bodies.
29' - End to end?!
What a ball from Ashique Kuruniyan... only if Manvir Singh could have controlled the ball. It would have been 1-0 India.
At the opposite end, Qatar on the break get down the right channel and get the ball to Abdel Aziz Hatim, who takes a vicious shot that whizzed past the right post of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
28' - Defend, defend, defend!
Suresh Singh is playing as a right wight-back with his mid-field partner Glan Martins is sitting deep to stop the waves of Qatari attack.
This is going to be a long long night for India.
18' - Rahul Bheke is sent off!
He had handled the ball to get his second yellow and India are down to 10!
The right back is adjudged to have intentionally handled the ball while defending.
12' - Qatar on the break with acres of space for Hasan Al Haydos. India's right back Rahul Bheke is caught out of position but Pritam Kotal is there to clean up and the danger is averted.
10' - Rahu Bheke goes into the referee's book for his late challenge on Bassam Hisham Alrawifrom behind.
5' - Penalty was it?
Sandesh Jhingan makes a tackle inside the penalty box on Abdelkarim Hassan, who falls to the ground.. nothing from the referee.
India have been on the back foot for the opening moments of the game.
Here we go! India and Qatar are away at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.
Important for the home team, who are playing at the home stadium of the away team...
Glan Martins received his debut cap and had credited his call up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and 2023 AFC Asian Cup due his good showing in the AFC Champions League!
🚨 DEBUT ALERT 🚨@GlanMartins gets his maiden #BlueTigers 🐯 cap today 😍#INDQAT ⚔️ #WCQ 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/gSU4iejAcE
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) June 3, 2021
Sandesh Jhingan returns to the Indian football team against Qatar in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Here is the Starting XI for Qatar - Saad Al Sheeb; Abdelkarim Hassan, Abdel Aziz Hatim, Yusuf Abdurisag, Hasan Al Haydos, Karim Boudiaf, Musaab Khidir Mohamed, Bassam Hisham Alrawi, Boualem Khoukhi, Almoez Ali, Mohammed Muntari
Here is the starting XI for India - Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Rahul Bheke, Sandesh Jhingan, Pritam Kotal, Subhasish Bose, Ashique Kuruniyan, Suresh Singh, Glan Martins, Bipin Singh, Sunil Chhetri, Manvir Singh
Ahead of the game, Indian football team coach Igor Stimac had said holding Qatar to a goalless draw in the first round of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers was a “big surprise" and it will be extremely difficult to tame the Asian champions again.
“We are very proud of what we achieved in the last game. That was a big surprise to everyone all over the world India holding Asian champions Qatar in Doha," Stimac said in the pre-match press conference.
“But that was a different situation. From the very first minute of our arrival there were thousands of our supporters giving us that extra energy making us feel that we were playing at home."
