At the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar, India faced a tough challenge from Qatar in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier. Despite a strong start, India was unable to hold on and eventually fell to a 3-0 defeat.
Mustafa Meshaal opened the scoring for Qatar in the fourth minute, taking advantage of a loose ball in India’s box. The Indian defense struggled to keep up with the pressure from Qatar, and Akram Afif missed a close-range opportunity before causing trouble with his set-piece delivery.
In the second half, Afif’s shot was saved by Amrinder Singh, but Ali was able to slide in and score. Substitute Yusuf Abdurisag added a third goal with a header at the near post. India had few opportunities to score, with players like Anirudh Thapa and Sahal Abdul Samad missing chances.
Despite their efforts, India’s forwards were unable to trouble the champions of Asia. The match can be relived through a live blog on the website.