India vs Saudi Arabia head-to-head record as they prepare to face off in Asian Games 2023 round of 16

India's men's football team secured their spot in the Asian Games 2023 round of 16 after a hard-fought draw against Myanmar. This will be their first appearance in the last 32 since 2010. They faced significant challenges in the group stage and will now face another formidable opponent in Saudi Arabia.

India's campaign got off to a challenging start as they arrived in Hangzhou just a day before their opening match against China, leaving them with no time for a proper training session. Consequently, they suffered a 5-1 defeat despite showing resilience in the first half.

India's second group-stage match against Bangladesh saw them put up an improved performance and manage a 1-0 victory thanks to Sunil Chhetri's late penalty. They required just a point to progress to the knockouts, which was secured in their draw against a determined Myanmar side.

While India finally had full-fledged training sessions after the group stage, facing Saudi Arabia is undoubtedly a daunting task. The Green Falcons notably played in the FIFA World Cup, where they defeated Lionel Messi's Argentina in their opening match.

While Saudi Arabia's senior team are not part of the competition, their under-23 squad is packed with talent and they are among the favorites to win gold.

They come into the knockouts on the back of victories against Mongolia and Vietnam, and a draw against Iran.

The upcoming clash against Saudi Arabia is set to be India's most difficult challenge at the Asian Games so far. The Saudi Arabia under-23 team notably defeated the France youth team in June this year.

Additionally, they recorded three consecutive wins in the recently concluded AFC Asian Cup under-23 qualifiers.

India vs Saudi Arabia: Head-to-head record

Saudi Arabia have beaten India in all three of their previous meetings. Their first encounter took place at the 1982 Asian Games, where the Green Falcons secured a 1-0 victory.

Subsequently, in 2006, India faced the Asian giants in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, suffering 3-0 and 7-1 defeats within a span of just 20 days.

Though history favors Saudi Arabia, the Blue Tigers will rely on their resilience and hope that Sunil Chhetri can deliver upfront.

Matches played: 3

India wins: 0

Saudi Arabia wins: 3

Draws: 0

(Note: All games between India and Saudi Arabia were senior men’s team games)