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The Indian National Football team is set to face Afghanistan in the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Friday.
The away fixture is scheduled for March 21, 2024 against Afghanistan in Abha. India will then play the home game against the same opponent at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on March 26, 2024.
The All India Football Federation announced a strong 25-member Indian Men’s Football Team squad for the Round 2 fixtures on Friday. The squad includes three goalkeepers, eight defenders, 10 midfielders, and four forwards. Unfortunately, a few solid names have been missing from the squad due to injuries.
Here's a look at those:
1. Sandesh Jhingan
Defensive specialist Sandhesh Jhingan will miss out on second-round fixtures due to injury. He picked up a knee injury during the 2023 AFC Asian Cup fixture against Syria. Jhingan hasn’t played any competitive games since.
2. Ashique Kuruniyan
Ashique Kuruniyan, on the other hand, is recovering from the ACL injury he sustained during a Kings’ Cup match in 2023. Kuruniyan is a vital cog in the Indian team, having played 30 matches since making his debut in 2018.
3. Lalchungnunga
Lalchungnunga, the East Bengal defender, has also been ruled out due to the injury he picked up during the Kolkata derby on March 10, 2024. However, there have been no reports on how long it will take for him to recover.
India’s senior men’s football national team has a great chance of creating history as they are eyeing qualification into Round 3 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
India began their campaign with a 1-0 away win against Kuwait at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait. However, it was followed with a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Qatar in Odisha.
The Blue Tigers are currently sitting second with three points in Group A table. Qatar lead the table with six points.
It is pertinent to note that India are currently ranked 117 in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings, while Afghanistan are sitting at the 158th position. This is the best chance for them to reach Round 3 for the first time in the history of the World Cup qualifiers.
