Asian Cup: India draw against Afghanistan, but qualify for Round 3

Sunil Chhetri. Pic/AFP

India scored from an own goal by Afghanistan goalie as they ended their World Cup Qualifiers campaign with a 1-1 draw to book a berth in the next qualifying round of the Asian Cup here on Tuesday. A howler by Afghanistan goalie Ovays Azizi handed India a 1-0 lead in the 75th minute but Hossein Zamani equalised in the 81st minute in a match marred by poor refereeing.

The two sides had also played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg match in Dushanbe in 2019. It was an open and fast-paced game with the Afghans playing a more physical game in a match strewn with fouls and referee Ali Reda failing to discipline the players. Both sides were almost equal in ball possession and India had 10 shots on target as against seven from Afghanistan. But the Afghans committed 16 fouls against nine by the Indians. Three Afghan players were shown yellow cards as against one of India.

With seven points from eight matches, India finished third in Group E behind toppers Qatar and Oman, and ahead of Afghanistan (4th in the group with six points from eight matches). India under Igor Stimac ended the World Cup qualifying campaign with one win, four draws and three losses. Besides the win against Bangladesh in their previous match, the first leg 0-0 draw against Asian champions Qatar here in 2019 was the highlight of the campaign. India dominated the early period with captain Sunil Chhetri having a go at the opposition goal in the 10th minute off a pass from Glan Martins but his left-footed shot from a difficult angle was collected by the Afghan goalie.

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The Afghans grew in confidence and were the better side in the later part of the first half and they had a few shots on target but none gave any difficulties to Indian custodian Gurpreet Singh. Five minutes before the breather, Ashique Kuruniyan was on the clear on the top left edge of the box but his low cross failed to reach Chhetri with an Afghan defender clearing it. Chhetri, who had scored twice against Bangladesh, could not repeat that performance and he was substituted in the 69th minute. Midfield livewire Brandon Fernandes was also replaced in the 62nd minute.

The Afghans looked better early in the second session but India took the lead in the 75th minute. Kuruniyan sent a high cross from the left which Suresh Wangjam tried to reach for. Afghan goalie Azizi rose for what should have been an easy collection but the ball dropped down his hands and slipped in between his legs into the empty goal. But, the joy of the Indians was short-lived as Zamani curled past Gurpreet after the Afghan striker won the ball from two Indian defenders who could have done better.

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