India's hopes for the FIFA World Cup 2026 were shattered in a tense showdown against Qatar. The match, held at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, saw India facing Qatar in a crucial Group A encounter. The game started with promise for India as Lallianzuala Chhangte scored the opening goal, raising hopes of a positive result.
However, the match turned controversial when Qatar's Yousef Aymen scored what proved to be an equalizing goal under argument. Despite protests from the Indian team and fans, the goal stood, leaving India falling behind and frustrated.
🚨Exclusive🚨@jules_alberto, who once starred in World Cup qualifying for India, and @KotalPritam, a current India international, were both in disbelief at the lack of VAR during the Qatar-India game on Tuesday
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) June 12, 2024
✍️@snehasis_95 #IndianFootball https://t.co/Z9csGkTAay
Around 30 minutes into the game, India had a good opportunity to score. Manvir Singh got close to the opponent's goal, facing only the goalkeeper. Unfortunately, he could not score. Then, the ball came to Lallianzuala Chhangte, but he also could not score from the chance.
In the game, the goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who was the team captain, had to work hard from the beginning. He had to make a good save just two minutes into the match. The Qatar team kept attacking, keeping Gurpreet busy for the first 15 minutes.
As the game progressed, Qatar managed to secure the winning goal, courtesy of Ahmed Al-Rawi, sealing India's fate with a 1-2 defeat. Despite India's brave efforts to find an equalizer, they were unable to break through Qatar's defense again.
The loss meant India's journey in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers came to an unexpected end. The defeat was particularly painful given the controversy surrounding Qatar's disputed goal. Despite the disappointment, India can take pride in their spirited performance throughout the tournament.
Despite playing a remarkable game, India has lost out on a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to poor refereeing. The unfair outcome at the Qatar vs India match in Doha needs to be probed so that the efforts of our hardworking team do not go in vain. Requesting urgent… https://t.co/AYDM6uMHYZ
— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) June 12, 2024
The FIFA World Cup qualifier match between India and Qatar turned into a mess because of a controversial goal by Qatar that caused a big argument. A lot of people thought the goal wasn't fair, and both the Indian team and their fans protested against it. But the referees still counted the goal, which made India fall behind in the game. Later, Qatar scored again and won the match, leaving India feeling very disappointed.
People were really mad about the unfair decision, even though India played really well in the tournament. Despite the loss, India's effort on the field was impressive, earning them respect even though they did not make it far in the competition.
In another match from the same group, Kuwait secured their place in the next round by defeating Afghanistan. While India's hopes were broken, they showed strength and determination on the field, leaving fans with memories to cherish despite the early exit from the tournament