India’s match against Afghanistan at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati is a must-win game for the Blue Tigers if they intend to advance to round 3 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. With four points from three games, India currently sits second in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (AFC). India has to win this game in order to sustain its lead over Kuwait and remain as firm favorites for qualifying to the next round.
Recent Form
The Blue Tigers come into the game having lost four of their previous five games and drawn one. In fact, they have only won one of their previous eight games. Their most recent triumph came away from home in the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait, a 1-0 win. In addition to being without a win in their last five games, India has conceded nine goals while failing to score during this run.
Afghanistan has not won a game since beating Mongolia twice in a row in the first round of the qualifications. They have let up 12 goals in their last three games, including the match against Qatar when they gave up 8 goals.
Most Recent Meeting
The two teams’ most recent encounter in Saudi Arabia’s Damac Stadium resulted in a goalless stalemate. India dominated possession, but the Blue Tigers were unable to create more chances for their attackers, hence failing to score. Afghanistan, coached by Ashley Westwood, showed outstanding defensive resilience and counter-attacking abilities, coming dangerously close to scoring past Gurpreet. The Indian team produced a miserable performance, disappointing both the crowd in the stadium and the spectators who stayed awake until midnight to watch the game at home. Igor Stimac and the team were strongly criticized by the fans for the result.
Head-to-Head Record
In all competitions, these two teams have faced off twelve times. India holds an advantage against Afghanistan since the Blue Tigers have triumphed eight times compared to the Afghans’ poor record of one victory over India. All four of the remaining encounters have resulted in draws. India has won twice in the last five meetings, with the remaining three ending in a draw.
What’s at Stake?
For India, they must win this game at all costs. Given the squad’s superiority in FIFA rankings and Afghanistan’s internal problems, every Indian football fan believed the team would comfortably win both of its matches against Afghanistan when the group was announced. However, India dropped points in the first meeting and they must defeat Afghanistan this time to maintain their advantage over Kuwait in the race to advance to the next round. With no wins in 2024, Igor Stimac will be looking for improvement and will want to get things going against Afghanistan.
On a personal note, Sunil Chhetri will be making his record 150th appearance; no other Indian football player has accomplished this feat. Throughout his 149 caps for India so far, the Indian captain has scored 93 goals while giving it his all. In addition, he has an exceptional record of having scored a goal in each of his first, 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th, and 125th Indian matches. In his 150th game, the Indian icon will be looking to increase his goal tally.
Afghanistan’s prospects of making it to the next round of qualifying are extremely unlikely. Building on the positives from the previous match against India, Ashley Westwood will want to improve with his team. “Just get the ball in the right areas and play well—that’s all we are concerned about,” Ashley Westwood said in response to a question regarding the game plan for this match.
Team News – India
India will be without the services of midfielder Sahal Abdul Samad. Sahal, who was also absent from the last game, is expected to be sidelined for two weeks as a consequence of a mild hamstring strain. Except for Sahal, no additional injuries have been reported from the Indian camp, and Igor Stimac is anticipated to have a fully fit squad raring to go in the forthcoming encounter against Afghanistan.
Probable Lineups
India – Gurpreet Singh Sandu (GK), Nikhil Poojary, Anwar Ali, Rahul Bheke, Aakash Mishra, Jeakson Singh, Apuia, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Sunil Chhetri (C).
Afghanistan – Ovays Azizi (GK), Mahboob Hanifi, Haroon Amiri (C), Sharif Muhammad, Habibullah Askar, Mosawer Ahadi, Rahmat Akbari, Nazary Zelfegar, Taufee Skandari, Omid Popalzay, Jabar Sharza.
Telecast and Streaming
The game is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. IST at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati. The game will be broadcast on the Sports 18 channel in India, while JioCinema will offer free live streaming for spectators.
Predictions
India appears to be the overwhelming favorite when comparing the two teams on paper, but the teams’ most recent match showed how difficult it is to defeat Afghanistan. Considering India’s outstanding home record, we anticipate a 2-0 victory over Afghanistan. In addition, we expect Sunil Chhetri to break his six-game goalless streak and score on his 150th appearance.
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