Dhaka, Bangladesh – In a shocking turn of events, the Indian national football team suffered a 1-0 defeat against Bangladesh in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier match at the Dhaka National Stadium on Tuesday. This marks Bangladesh's first victory against India in 22 years, sending waves of disappointment through the Indian footballing community.
The match, which was largely inconsequential in terms of qualification, became a battle of pride and FIFA ranking points. Both India and Bangladesh were already out of contention for the AFC Asian Cup 2027, having collected only two points each from their previous matches.
Bangladesh's Shekh Morsalin scored the decisive goal in the 11th minute, sending the packed crowd at the National Stadium into a frenzy. Despite several attempts, the Indian side failed to equalize, resulting in a historic win for the Bengal Tigers.
India had a golden opportunity to score in the 31st minute when Lallianzuala Chhangte's shot, after Bangladesh goalkeeper Mitul Marma was out of position, was headed away by Hamza Choudhury. Besides that, the Blue Tigers squandered a number of opportunities, which added to the frustration of the fans and the team management.
The defeat leaves India at the bottom of Group C with a meager two points from five games and without a single win in the group. Bangladesh, on the other hand, climbed to third place with five points from as many matches, celebrating their first victory in the qualifiers.
The match also saw a moment of tension when players from both teams were involved in a minor altercation near the touchline, but the referee quickly brought the situation under control.
India's starting XI included Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Rahul Bheke, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra, Nikhil Prabhy, Macarton Louis Nickson, Vikram Partap, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Lallianzuala Chhangte, and Rahim Ali. Bangladesh fielded Mitul Marma (GK), Topu Barman, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Zayyan Ahmed, Md Saad Uddin, Shohel Rana, Shamit Shome, Hamza Choudhury, Shekh Morsalin, Md Goysal Ahmed Fahim, and Rakib Hossain.
India's squad for Dhaka included Australia-born forward Ryan Williams, who recently secured an Indian passport. However, his participation was subject to NOC and clearance from Football Australia, FIFA, and AFC.
This game marked the 30th meeting between the two nations and India's first match in Bangladesh since 2003. Coach Khalid Jamil had emphasized youth in the squad, with several uncapped players like goalkeeper Sahil and Hrithik Tiwari.
The loss to Bangladesh extends India's winless streak in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers and raises concerns about the team's performance. Coach Khalid Jamil now faces the challenge of lifting the team's morale and preparing them for future encounters.
