Thank you for staying still till the end, it was a pleasure bringing you all the latest updates from the match. My name is Mohak Arora and I bid you adieu for the night.
The referee blows the full-time whistle. Afghanistan 1-1 India. A match that started slow saw the crowd erupting at the end of it when Doungel put the ball into the back of the net. India has 3 points while Afghanistan has 4 points after four matches apiece for both the sides.
90+2' GOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!! Brandon Fernandes takes the corner and Seiminlen Doungel heads it into the back of the net. Feels like a Deja Vu moment from the Bangladesh match last month.
73' Time is running out for India. Their chances of qualifications for the World Cup are hanging by a thread. India needs to find that equalizer and they have to do it very soon.
67' Farukh receives a brilliant ball from Ashique and his cross is met by Udanta whose header is saved by Azizi. Corner given. Chhetri meets the corner unmarked at the back post but the awkward bounce sees Captain Fantastic head it over the target.
59' Second change for the away side as Sahal Abdul Samad makes way for the tall Manvir Singh who could be crucial in meeting crosses in the penalty box.
58' Farukh Choudhary's cross across the six-yard box is brilliant but meets no one but Udanta Singh on the other wing who delivers it back and Chhetri heads it towards goal but Azizi makes the save.
46' First change from Igor Stimac. Farukh Choudhary comes on for Mandar Rao Dessai. Looks like a three at the back at the moment. Afghanistan kick off.
45+2' Brandon Fernandes takes a punt at the ball from 30 yards. Just past the left post. The referee blows his whistle. It's half time. Aghanistan 1-0 India. The half time talks will be crucial. See you in 15 minutes.
45' GOOOAAAAAAALLLLL!! Zelfagar Nazary scores. The right back marches forward and delivers a low cross into the box which is met by a sweet strike produced from the right boot of Nazary. Afghans take the lead.
35' Ashique delivers a brilliant cross from the left and India win a corner. Resulting corner is cleared, Sahal tries to head it back in but that is cleared as well.
33' Ashique Kuruniyan tries to step over four or five defenders and the last man in a red shirt clears the ball away. Much better from the Blue Tigers.
30' We are approaching the half-hour mark and it has been an uneventful half hour compared to the expectations of the crowd and the two defenses on the pitch. The freezing conditions and the artificial turf are not helping either.
25' Mandar concedes another unnecessary set-piece on the edge of the penalty area. Adil Khan makes an excellent clearance after a good set-piece routine from the home side.
15' Another corner conceded by Dessai, cleared by Rahul Bheke towards safety. The Blue Tigers have to be vary of the threat Afghans pose from the set-pieces especially with Jhingan absent today.
12' A forced change for the hosts due to an injury. Ahmed Najem replaces the injured Omid Popalzay. The winger was holding his calf while leaving the field, looks like a precaution more than a serious injury.
4' Pritam Kotal and Udanta Singh team up on the right side to deliver a cross into the box but a red shirt meets it and is able to clear before Chhetri is able to react to it.
The Central Republican Stadium in Dushanbe is almost ready to witness a great match from both the sides. The two sides have walked out on the pitch, the home side is clad in red while the visitors are wearing blue. We will be having national anthems for both the countries now.
Pritam Kotal comes into the right back slot with Rahul Bheke coming in as a centre back as Anas Edathodika misses out due to fitness concerns. Pranoy Halder will be screening the midfield with Brandon Fernandes and Sahal Abdul Samad in charge of creating chances for the electric front three of Udanta, Chhetri and Kuruniyan. Kick off 15 minutes away.
Igor Stimac again left out the in-form Michael Soosairaj from the 26-man squad that enraged some fans who wanted to see the 24-year old midfielder represent the country. The Croatian was also unable to call up Jhingan and Borges due to injuries. Rest of the squad is as first choice as it gets and the Blue Tigers would be hoping to bag the crucial three points.
How they have done so far India: After losing 2-1 to Oman, the Blue Tigers bounced back with a 0-0 draw against the 2019 AFC Cup champions. After that, India drew 1-1 with Bangladesh taking their points tally to a meager 2 in 3 matches. Afghanistan: Afghans opened their qualification campaign with a devastating 6-0 loss to Qatar followed by a 1-0 win over Bangladesh at home. Then, they lost 3-0 to Oman and now have 3 points from 3 matches.
Head to Head record: India have won 6 of the 8 meetings between the two sides with one ending as a draw while the hosts for today winning the 2013 SAFF Cup final held in Kathmandu.
The lead up to the match has surrounded a lot of talk about the artificial turf and how the Blue Tigers are trying to adjust to it by playing on it for a few days. It will be a big task nonetheless especially without the very able Sandesh Jhingan and Rowlin Borges.
A crucial match for both sides, Afghanistan hosts neighbors and South Asian football giants India in a joint qualifier for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 AFC Cup.
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