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In what was deemed a crucial game for India’s hopes of qualifying for the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers 2026, the Blue Tigers failed to find their rhythm as they were held to a goalless draw against Afghanistan in Saudi Arabia.
While Afghanistan’s resistance and resolute defence deserve praise, it’s fair to say that India simply didn’t pose enough threat to trouble their opponents. In fact, the Lions of Khorasan had a couple of significant opportunities to snatch the game away from Igor Stimac’s men.
The supporters were certainly unhappy with the performance, as India have now won just one of their last eight games. Additionally, they have not scored in their last five games, which is a huge cause for concern with three crucial games coming up in the qualifiers that could determine their fate.
There is indeed a lot of criticism directed at India, and with that in mind, let’s look at the three reasons why they struggled to break down Afghanistan’s defence.
#1 One-dimensional approach
India’s recent struggles can be down to their difficulty creating chances. However, this issue stems from their approach starting from the back and how they progress the ball to the final third. Under Stimac, the Blue Tigers look to overload the flanks, with the full-backs pushing higher up the pitch while the midfielders drop deeper to aid progression.
This approach has become highly predictable, and Afghanistan’s head coach, Ashley Westwood, who certainly knows Indian football quite well, successfully restricted progression through the middle and forced India to utilize the wider areas. The Lions then tracked back to double up on the flanks, while leaving no gaps for the likes of Sunil Chhetri and Vikram Pratap Singh to exploit.
It seems Stimac lacked a Plan B to counter Afghanistan’s 4-4-2 medium-block formation. Although India did manage to create a couple of clear-cut chances, Afghanistan’s goalkeeper was rarely called into action, which doesn’t bode well for the team’s future.
#2 Poor profiling of attackers
Stimac faced a dilemma before the game when his playmaker Sahal Abdul Samad was sidelined due to a hamstring injury. Furthermore, Brandon Fernandes could only feature from the bench due to a reported illness. Consequently, Stimac opted to deploy Chhetri as a number 10, with Chhangte and Manvir Singh on the flanks, and Vikram Pratap Singh leading the attack.
However, the front four struggled to make an impact. These struggles could be attributed to inadequate player profiling by Stimac, as he failed to extract their best performances.
Starting Vikram as number nine, despite his exceptional form for Mumbai City FC from the left flank, proved to be less effective against Afghanistan’s physical center-backs, which limited his effectiveness. Chhangte, renowned for his ability to draw defenders and take them on from the right side, started on the left flank, where he failed to pose any sort of threat.
Meanwhile, Chhetri consistently dropped deeper to receive possession rather than actively attacking the penalty box. India notably improved once Fernandes, Liston Colaco, and Naorem Mahesh Singh were introduced and utilized in their best positions.
#3 Lack of quality in final third
The focal point of criticism rested on Stimac for his approach, but the players also failed to meet expectations. India were vulnerable at the back on numerous occasions and struggled when Afghanistan pressed.
In midfield, both Apuia and Jeakson Singh found it challenging to dictate the tempo and frequently conceded possession cheaply. They were also consistently bypassed with ease when the Afghans counter-attacked in numbers.
Meanwhile, the attackers were simply taken out of the game. Despite India enjoying possession and advancing into the final third multiple times, they did not possess the quality. The front four lacked precision in their touches, decision-making, and ability to beat their markers in one-on-one situations, resulting in mounting frustrations.
