India will face the defending AFC Asian Cup Champions Qatar at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. Qatar are currently the World's No.61 and Asia’s sixth-best team and will put many challenges for the Indian team in the second game of Group A in the second round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
The Indian team is coming after defeating Kuwait by 1-0 in an away fixture while Qatar will be facing the Blue Tigers after a commanding 8-1 victory against Afghanistan. So, they would like to continue their dominant run by beating India at the Kalinga Stadium.
Fixture: India vs Qatar: FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Date: November 21
Time: 7:00 PM (IST)
Venue: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match between India and Qatar will be live telecasted on Sports18 1, Sports 18 1HD, and Sports18 3. The match will also be live streamed on the Jio Cinema app and website.
India made five changes from the last game.
Here's your #BlueTigers starting XI for #INDQAT 🇮🇳🆚🇶🇦#FIFAWorldCup 🏆 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/vFhkvE9od3
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 21, 2023
RAHUL BHEKE
SUBHASISH BOSE
SANDESH
ANIRUDH THAPA
SURESH SINGH WANGJAM
LALENGMAWIA
SUNIL CHHETRI (C)
UDANTA SINGH KUMAM
LALLIANZUALA CHHANGTE
NIKHIL CHANDRASHEKHAR POOJARY
AMRINDER SINGH
📋 Our lineup for the second match in the joint qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup 🇶🇦💪 #AlAnnabi
— Qatar Football Association (@QFA_EN) November 21, 2023
#Our_Journey_To2026 pic.twitter.com/mGbG5239JF
PEDRO CORREIA
AHMED FATHI ABDOULLA
HASSAN AL HAYDOS (C)
AKRAM AFIF 12
LUCAS MENDES
HOMAM AHMED
BOUALEM KHOUKHI
ALMOEZ ALI
TAMEEM MANSOUR ALABDULLA
MESHAAL BARSHAM
MOUSTAFA TAREK MASHAL
✅ Checking in at the Kalinga Stadium 🤝#INDQAT ⚔️ #FIFAWorldCup 🏆 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/WId9iobeo4
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 21, 2023
The dream is alive! ⚽️ Wait for the fans sing Vande Mataram 🇮🇳#FIFAWorldCupQualifiers #INDQAT #IndianFootball #Football #india #sunilchhetri pic.twitter.com/EVHo7ZnFj0
— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) November 21, 2023
Some Arsenal fans in the stands were chanting for Arsene Wenger. He comes out for a bit, has a bit of a chat with AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, and returns back inside.
📸 | Legendary coach and FIFA Chief of GFD, Arsene Wenger pictured alongside NA Harris, VP - AIFF at the Kalinga Stadium #INDQAT | #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/fv2TeayKTC
— 90ndstoppage (@90ndstoppage) November 21, 2023
Final touches! 💯#INDQAT ⚔️ #FIFAWorldCup 🏆 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/ImCTJDf1Yt
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 21, 2023
Qatar starts an early attack from the left flank but Akram misses big chance from right in front of the goal.
Indian defenders fail to clear the ball and Qatar takes the early lead from a corner. Mustafa Mashal comes up with a clinical finish as Qatar goes ahead.
India have to be more clinical with their passes during the buildup from the back as Qatar are pressing aggresively.
Afif runs across the pitch into the box and receives a great ball from Haydos but the attacker fails to convert the chance, thanks to Jhingan.
The ball was up in the air and Jinghan jumped to attempt an air duel with Khouki but elbowed him accidentally.
Nothing comes out from the corner as Jhingan was right there to block the header.
Sandesh Jinghan makes a brilliant block after Qatar takes a shot from outside of the box. Amrinder tried to clear the ball but unfortunately gave away the ball to a Qatari striker which awarded the visitors the golden opportunity to extend the lead.
Afif was through on goal from the left wing and takes a shot towards the near post but Amrinder Singh makes a solid save to nullify the opportunity.
India is trying to build its counterattacks from the left wing but is yet to make that final pass on goal. They haven't yet tested the Qatari shot-stopper.
Chhangte and Thapa play a good one-two on the left flank but the ball goes out for a throw-in. India are slowly trying to make a comeback into the match.
Brilliant effort from Chhangte as he holds the line to clear the ball out.
Mashaal was so close to scoring his second and extending the lead as he was completely unmarked inside the box during the corner kick. His header is saved by a diving Amrinder Singh, a world-class save.
For the first time, India looked lively in the attack but failed to test the goalkeeper. Thapa plays an amazing pass back from a crowded area in the box for Apuia and the ball was nicely set for him, but his shot goes way over the cross-bar. Golden opportunity but no outcome.
Chhangte makes a quick run on the left flank and makes a cutting pass across the box almost finding Udanta, but Amin makes a crucial interception to nullify it.
Thapa was in for a goal after Qatar made a blunder in front of the goal, but the number seven took a poor outer-foot shot that went wide. What a chance for India and they have to be more clinical if they want to make a comeback in the match.
Qatar dominated the first 30 minutes. They found the goal in just 4 minutes into the game and thanks to Jhingan and Amrinder, they couldn't extend the lead further. Qatar is playing confidently and is looking more comfortable on the ball. The last 15 minutes were all India but they weren't so clinical in front of the goal. Thapa had the nicest opportunity but couldn't find the equalizer.
𝗤𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝟭-𝟬 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲!
— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) November 21, 2023
Mashal scored early, and Thapa missed a big chance. 🥺#Indianfootball #indiavsqatar #fifaworldcupqualifiers #fifaworldcup #SunilChhetri pic.twitter.com/Q2PtptTJFQ
The players are ready and India have a target set for the second half, and so does Qatar too.
“India needs to take the hand-brakes off and play with a little bit more tempo in the second half. They should also be a bit more tighter in marking attackers and go for it in the second half.“
Khouki lofts the ball inside the box and finds Afif who takes the shot, but was saved by Amrinder. The keeper couldn’t hold the ball and Moez Ali scores from a rebound.
The visitors are looking more comfortable and confident on the ball. India are trying to wind a way to make a comeback into the match.
Qatar might extend its lead soon if India doesn’t get hold of the ball.
Qatar with a brilliant counterattack as Afif bullied two Indian players and passed Mansour but the attacker loses his balance and missed the chance.
Suresh plays a beautiful ball to Sahal beating three defenders and the substitute takes a few touches and tries to find the bottom right corner, but completely misses the target.
Apuia plays a long ball to Chhangte who gives it back to Poojari’s overlapping run but the wing-back’s cross fails to find any Indian player.
Mahes came so close to scoring after Sahal made the perfect ball set up for a shot but the forward lost his balance and took a poor shot.
Muntari comes close to extending the scoreline as he takes a shot from the edge of the box but misses the target.
Waad plays a cross towards Abdurisag who was unmarked and he heads the ball into the net for the third goal.
Rahul fiers down the wing and makes a great pass into the box towards Mahesh’s run, but Ishan Pandita blocks the shot after a communication error betwen the players. India wastes a big chance.
Qatar cruises past India comfortably and are now at the top of the table. Qatar kept creating opportunities against the struggling backline of India. The Blue Tigers too made a few decent chances but in the end, couldn’t find the net. A disappointing night for India.
𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝟯-𝟬! 🥺
— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) November 21, 2023
A couple of missed chances, but the boys put up a great fight! Ready for the next one! 💙#indiafootball #indiavsqatar #fifaworldcupqualifiers #fifaworldcup #sunilchhetri #football #Score pic.twitter.com/pKen33OpzJ