Image Courtesy- hindustantimes.com
Indian football team unlikely to face Qatar in Fifa World Cup qualifiers at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Thursday, with no risks of injuries and suspensions. Two years ago in 2019, when the team visited Doha for Asian Champions, they created an upset and frustrated the hosts to depart with a goalless draw. It was the most significant result under coach Igor Stimac, but if the team repeats the heroics it will take more than sheer determination.
The coach informed TOI that this time the things are completely different from the last time. The whole team came to Qatar with three or four camps under their belt and went home with just a point. The team has to now undergo this game with no problems of injuries or silly suspensions. Currently, team India is fourth in the group table with three points and all draws in all their first five matches. India has lost both games against second-placed Oman with a score of 1-2 and 0-1 but has not lost to any of the other three teams such as Qatar with a score of 0-0, Bangladesh with a score of 1-1, and Afghanistan with a score of 1-1 in the first leg.
As the skipper, Sunil Chhetri said that after playing the way the team did against Oman and after playing against Qatar, he doesn’t think the boys did justice to their potential against Bangladesh and Afghanistan. There are no matches that can go back and fix things, but the team should have done better.