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India and Singapore’s Stalemate:
In the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, the match between India and Singapore ended in a 1-1 draw. Although Singapore dominated the match for the majority of the time, they were unable to secure three points. They managed to score a goal during stoppage time in the first half. However, India equalized in the second half, with a goal in the 90th minute. Substitute Rahim Ali capitalized on a defensive error by Singapore to level the score. This draw slightly improved India’s chances of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup 2027.
First-half highlights:
During the first half, Singapore maintained control of the game for the most part. They also generated more attacking opportunities compared to India. India’s most significant chance in the first half occurred in the 15th minute when Rahul Bheke headed a free-kick from Liston Colaco, which went wide of the goal. Conversely, Singapore had numerous opportunities but failed to convert them. They scored a goal in stoppage time just before half-time, with the Indian defense partially at fault. As a long-range ball entered the Indian penalty area, the Indian defense failed to clear the ball, allowing Ikhsan Fandi to score for Singapore. Earlier, Ikhsan Fandi had a chance to score but missed. By the end of the first half, the score stood at Singapore 1 – India 0. In addition to creating more goal-scoring opportunities, Singapore also had greater ball possession than India in the first half, with sixty-three percent possession for Singapore compared to thirty-seven percent for India.
Second-half highlights:
Just two minutes into the second half, India faced a significant setback. Their reliable defender, Sandesh Jhingan, received a second yellow card, resulting in a red card. Consequently, India had to compete with only ten players for nearly the entire second half. Singapore was performing exceptionally well in this match, and with India down a player, Singapore exploited their numerical advantage to launch more attacks. Throughout the second half, Singapore generated numerous scoring opportunities. Anwar Ali showcased his defensive skills brilliantly for India, while Rahul Bheke also contributed effectively. India’s goalkeeper, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, made several outstanding saves, particularly in a one-on-one situation. India struggled to mount any attacks in the second half, with players like Sunil Chhetri failing to make a significant impact. Just when it appeared that Singapore might secure a victory, India managed to score in the 90th minute. Rahim Ali capitalized on a critical defensive error by Singapore. Coming on as a substitute, he intercepted a weak backpass from a Singapore player and found the net. Ultimately, the match concluded in a 1-1 draw between Singapore and India. Similar to the first half, Singapore maintained a dominant ball possession in the second half, holding over sixty percent of the possession throughout the match. Despite this, Singapore was unable to convert many scoring chances. Conversely, while India did not deliver an impressive performance, they managed to earn a crucial point from the match.
Group C Standings:
Currently, India holds the third position in the Group C points table. Each of the four teams in this group has completed three matches.
– Hong Kong China leads the table with 7 points from their three games.
– Singapore follows in second place with 5 points from three matches.
– India is in third place with 2 points after three matches, while Bangladesh is at the bottom with 1 point from three games.
India’s Upcoming Matches:
India still has three matches remaining in the group stage. They will host Singapore and Hong Kong China for their home matches and will travel to play against Bangladesh for their away match. If India secures victories in all three upcoming matches, their prospects for qualifying for the 2027 FC Asian Cup will significantly improve.
I have uploaded a video on YouTube in Bengali related to the topic discussed in this blog, and you can find the link to that video here: