FT: AFG 1-1 IND
All over in Dushanbe! Len Doungel’s goal saves India the blushes right at the death for India. A much-improved second-half display from India earns them what is a deserved point on the balance of play. The Blue Tigers will rue the few chances that went begging.
It’s a third straight draw for India in the group as hopes of qualifying for the next round are all but over
90+2’ AFG 1-1 IND
GOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL! Seiminlen Doungel heads home from a Brandon Fernandes corner to pull India level. Three more minutes now for India to win it
90+1’ AFG 1-0 IND
TIME WASTING! Afghanistan player is down and it appears a case of time wasting. The fourth official adds five minutes of stoppage time. Can India find an equaliser?
84’ AFG 1-0 IND
WIDE! Manvir has a chance to work the goalkeeper but he sends his header wide. It was a tough ask though as the cross lacked power. Time running out for India in Dushanbe
77’ AFG 1-0 IND
SAVE! Najeb forces a good low save from Gurpeet who keeps India in the contest. Meanwhile, Doungel replaces Kotal
68’ AFG 1-0 IND
WHAT A MISS! Afghanistan make a mess of a corner that bounces all the way to the far post where Chhetri is completely free but the Indian captain puts it over. Very unlike the man. Is it not going to be India’s day?
67’ AFG 1-0 IND
SAVE! Udanta Singh forces fine save from Aziz with a looping header. The Indian winger does extremely well to tower over the defender to get the header
66’ AFG 1-0 IND
OFF THE BAR! Substitute Amiri let’s one fly from outside the box which rattles Gurpreet’s crossbar before bouncing over. India get off the hook there
62’ AFG 1-0 IND
Afghanistan respond with a change of their own as N Amiri replaces Shayesteh
59’ AFG 1-0 IND
Manvir Singh comes on for India in place of Sahal Abdul Samad. Chhetri drops into the No 10 role
58’ AFG 1-0 IND
CHANCE! Chhetri’s header from a Pritam Kotal cross is palmed away by the keeper moments after the Indian skipper was inches away from tapping in a fine cross from Farukh Choudhary
54’ AFG 1-0 IND
An injury scare for Afghan goalkeeper Aziz, but he is back on his feet and ready to continue after a stoppage in play
46’ AFG 1-0 IND
India make a change at the start of the second half as Farukh Choudhary replaces Mandar Rao Dessai. Ashique Kuruniyan drops to the left-back positions
46’ AFG 1-0 IND
India make a change at the start of the second half as Farukh Choudhary replaces Mandar Rao Dessai. Ashique Kuruniyan drops to the left-back positions
HT: AFG 1-0 IND
India stunned late in that first half by Afghanistan who took the lead through Nazary. They caused plenty of problems down India’s left flank throughout the first half but finally produced the right quality in the dying minutes of a first-half that lacked any sort of quality.
India have struggled to build attacks and have looked quite disjointed. Afghanistan have threatened on set-plays but India have dealt with that quite well.
45+2’ AFG 1-0 IND
GOOOAAAAAALLLLLL! AFGHANISTAN LEAD! Zalfegar Nazary slams home a pin-point cut-back from the right side to give the hosts the lead on the stroke of half-time
35’ AFG 0-0 IND
Not a great tempo to the game. Both teams need to be quicker and direct with their passing. India with a few decent moves but lacked numbers inside the box
27’ AFG 0-0 IND
CLOSE! Ashique Kuruniyan picks up the pieces at the edge of the box to let a left-footed effort fly but it goes over the crossbar, India’s first attempt of note in the game
26’ AFG 0-0 IND
ADIL KHAN! The Indian centre-back brilliantly heads away a dangerous delivery from a free-kick. The hosts now pretty much on top in this contest
19’ AFG 0-0 IND
The home side are getting into their groove and have pinned India back in their own half. Afghanistan using the wide spaces well but India have been pretty solid dealing with whatever Afghanistan have thrown at them so far.
15’ AFG 0-0 IND
India almost make a mess of defending an Afghan corner as India allow the ball to bounce in the box. Gurpreet makes a weak punch but India get it away. Slightly nervous defending from India there. Afghanistan is a big side and will be a threat from set-pieces
12’ AFG 0-0 IND
Early change for Afghanistan as Popalzay has to come off injured for Adam Najem
10’ AFG 0-0 IND
A small scare for India as Adil’s clearance drops back into the danger area after rebounding off an onrushing Afghan player. Gurpreet though is there to collect the ball and avert the danger
7’ AFG 0-0 IND
A stoppage in the game as an Afghanistan player receives treatment but the game restarts with India back on the ball
4’ AFG 0-0 IND
India enjoying plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges as Afghanistan seem content to sit back and absorb the pressure. Interesting to see how India deal with this low block from Afghnaistan
1’ KICK OFF!
India in their usual blue kit get the game underway, Afghanistan are playing in their red strip
7:25 pm: Plenty of support for India in Dushanbe
7:20 pm: Flashback!
Here’s what happened the last time these two teams met. It was the 2015 Saff Cup final
7:09 pm: TEAM PROFILES
Fifa Ranking
Afghanistan: 149
India: 106
Form Guide
Afghanistan: L-W-L-L-W
India: D-D-L-D-L
Head-to-head
India wins: 6
Draws: 1
Afghanistan win: 1
7:03 pm: LINE-UPS!
Afghanistan XI: Ovays Azizi (GK), David Najem, Sharif Mukhammad, Haroon Amiri, Hasan Amin, Faysal Shayesteh, Omid Popalzay, Farshad Noor (C), Zelfi Nazari, Noor Husin, Omran Haydary
India XI: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bheke, Adil Khan, Mandar Rao Dessai, Pronay Halder, Brandon Fernandes, Sahal Abdul Samad, Udanta Singh, Sunil Chhetri (C), Ashique Kuruniyan
6:45 pm: Dushanbe weather in focus!
It’s 12°C in the Tajikistan capital and the temperature is expected to drop around 8°C towards the time the full-time whistle is expected. It’s cold but not as bad as many expected
6:40 pm TEAM NEWS!
Rahul Bheke to play in central defence alongside Adil Khan. Pritam Kotal comes in at right-back. Pronay Halder, Brandon Fernandes and Sahal Abdul Samad start in midfield.
India take on Afghanistan in their fourth game of the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers campaign in Dushanbe, Tajikistan hoping to pick up their first win.
After losing to Oman in their opening qualifying game, India have played out two contrasting draws away to Asian champions Qatar and at home to low-ranked Bangladesh.
However, India’s task will be made tough by the artificial surface used at the Central Republic stadium and also by the low temperature in the Tajikistan capital.
India have struggled in front of goal in the qualifiers with only two goals in three matches and against an Afghanistan side that is expected to be very organised, they will have to step to the plate.
With nothing less than a win keeping India in the race for the next round, Igor Stimac’s men face a crunch situation against Afghanistan.
Follow this blog for all the updates from the game