Qatar trounce India 3-0 for second consecutive win
INDIA - Asian champions Qatar proved their superiority with an easy 3-0 win against India in Group A match of the Preliminary Joint Qualification – Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
Qatar continued their winning start with the second successive win that opened up a three-point gap for Qatar at the top of the group. Carlo Queiroz’s men had brushed aside Afghanistan 8-1 in their opening match, while India came away from Kuwait with a valuable three points, winning 1-0 last week. The defeat also produced India’s first international defeat at home in 2023 and first loss in the crucial qualifiers.
Ranked 61st in the men’s team standings, Qatar dominated in every department from the word go. Moustafa Mashal, the star forward Almoez Ali and substitute winger Yousuf Abdurisag were on the target for the visiting team.
Akram Afif ran the show in the first half with being consistent threat down the left side. He missed an easy opportunity to score the goal in the opening minute but kept finding gaps in the final third.
Qatar’s opening goal came from a corner after Udanta Singh’s poor clearance at the edge of the outside box. Mustafa Mashal thumped his effort past the Indian defence to give his side a lead in the fourth minute. Qatar missed a golden opportunity inside the first two minutes when Akram Afif was found all alone six-yards out. However, he failed to convert and India survived the first real chance of the match.
Qatar’s dominance continued as they hit 10 corners inside the hour, as they continued to look to add to their ten goals scored against both Afghanistan and India.
India’s best chance of the match fell to Naroem Singh, after Suresh Wangjam found him through the middle all on his own, but the substitute dragged his effort wide of the target.
Qatar recorded eight corners in the first 35 minutes but India enjoyed some possession in the final ten minutes. Star midfielder Anirudh Thapa created the first chance with sharp dribbling skills inside the box but Apuia Ralte missed an open opportunity with an effort going wide of the net.
Wave after wave of attack continued for the visitors, including a free header from the goal scorer Meshaal, but they weren’t able to add to their tally before half-time.
With minutes until the half-time whistle, Qatar’s centre-back Boulalem Khoukhi carelessly gave the ball near his own area, but Anirirudh Thapa spurned his shot in what was India’s biggest and only chance of the half.
As with the first half, Qatar were ruthless from the off. Almoez Ali doubled Qatar’s lead inside 60 seconds of the restart after Afif’s shot fell to the striker less than a yard out, who steered the ball home for his fifth goal of the qualifiers.
Ali came close to scoring his second of the match, and Qatar’s third, when he opened up his body and curled one to the far corner from the edge of the box. Everyone was beaten but his effort clipped the top of the crossbar.
Qatar were able to score their third in the final few minutes of the match.
A cross in from the left from Mohamed Waad found Yusuf Abdurisag who was able to steer his header into the roof of the net.
Next up, India will take on Afghanistan away from home in the new year, while Qatar host Kuwait in Group A.
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