June 12th 2024.
The recent FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match between India and Qatar was marred by controversy as a poor refereeing decision robbed India of their chance to secure a historic entry into the third round. Despite putting up a strong fight against the Asian champions, India ultimately lost 2-1 to Qatar on Tuesday.
The match started off on a positive note for India as Lallianzuala Chhangte scored a brilliant goal in the 37th minute, putting them in the lead. However, disaster struck when the referee declared Yousef Aymen's 73rd minute equalizer as a fair goal, even though the ball appeared to have gone out of play. This controversial decision completely changed the game's dynamics, and Qatar took advantage by scoring their second goal through Ahmed Al-Rawi in the 85th minute.
At halftime, India was in a good position with a 1-0 lead and the knowledge that Kuwait and Afghanistan were goalless in the other match of the day. They were just a step away from making history, but things took a turn for the worse in the second half. Qatar and Kuwait ultimately progressed to the second round, leaving India's dream shattered.
Despite playing just five days after the retirement of their star player Sunil Chhetri, the 121-ranked Indian team put up a strong fight against Qatar. Under the guidance of coach Igor Stimac, they looked on course to create an upset after Chhangte's goal. The 27-year-old winger from Mizoram's Lunglei was in top form, accurately striking the ball into the bottom corner after a diagonal pass from Brandon Fernandes.
Chhangte's redemption came after he missed two earlier chances created by Brandon. His goal also made him India's highest-scoring active player with eight goals. The Indian supporters, who had made their way to the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, were ecstatic and outperformed the home crowd in cheering for their team.
In the first half, India's skipper and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made a couple of crucial saves, weathering an initial wave of attacks from Qatar. They then began to put pressure on their opponents, with a strong six-man press from forwards Rahim Ali, Chhangte, and Manvir Singh, along with midfielders Fernandes, Jeakson Singh, and Suresh Wangjam. This tactic launched attacks in waves and did not allow the Qatar defenders to settle on the ball in their own half.
India's relentless efforts paid off as they opened the scoring with Chhangte's goal. The Qatar defense looked shaken, and the Indians took advantage of it. However, in the second half, India changed their tactics and were content with a mid-block instead of their six-man press. Qatar, on the other hand, looked to work the half-space channels, and their persistence paid off when Alrawi scored a goal in the 85th minute.
Despite the Indian players' vehement protests, the goal was allowed to stand, causing a stir among the team and their fans. With just a little over 15 minutes left in regulation time, Qatar sealed their victory with another goal from Alrawi. India tried to make a comeback, with Jay Gupta and Sahal Abdul Samad coming close to scoring, but they were unable to find the back of the net.
In the end, it was a heartbreaking loss for India, who had put up a strong fight against the Asian champions. But they can hold their heads high and be proud of their performance, especially without their star player Chhetri. The team showed immense determination and skill, and they will surely bounce back in their future matches.
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