A year since India's courageous draw vs Asian champions Qatar in 2022 FIFA WC qualifiers

On this day in 2019, India achieved one of its most memorable results in recent times in football. The Indian football team played out a fighting 0-0 draw with Qatar at the Jassim Bin Hammad Stadium in Doha. The FIFA World Cup 2020 qualifiers draw was the first time the Indian football team had managed to share the points with any of the reigning Asian Champions.

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Qatar vs India FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifier throwback

On September 10, 2019, Indian football played one of its most iconic games. The team managed by Igor Stimac managed to hold Qatar to a scoreless draw in Doha in a match where the Blue Tigers showed great courage and determination as they put up a stellar defensive performance. The qualifier for the Qatar World Cup involved Qatar dominating possession and throwing everything at the Indian side. However, a combination of great goalkeeping and defending keep Qatar at bay as the match finished 0-0. During the Qatar vs India match, Qatar dominated possession with 68% as they had as many as 27 chances during the game. Despite the hosts taking 27 shots to India’s two, it was Indian goalkeeper and captain on the night Gurpreet Singh Sandhu who made 11 saves to preserve his clean sheet.

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The draw was even more special considering the circumstances in which the Indian football team played the game. India's captain and ace Sunil Chhetri was ruled out of the game with an injury and the Indian football team came into the game on the back of low morale after a deflating late 2-1 defeat at home to Oman. Qatar, on the other hand, were in imperious form. The side had defeated every Asian opponent they had faced in 2019 before the Qatar vs India game and looked set to continue that streak.

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However, despite spending the majority of the game in the Indian half, Qatar were unable to find a breakthrough as the Indian football team gave a great account of themselves. Captain Gurpreet Singh Sandhi led from the front, pulling off save after save to keep the scores level during Qatar vs India. After the game, Sunil Chhetri, along with scores of football fans, praised the Indian football team for its courageous performance on the field.

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Fans and Indian football team reminisce iconic Qatar vs India match

A year on after the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifier, the Indian football team’s social media accounts shared pictures and videos from the game. Several football fans also paid a tribute to the team’s performance. Fans remembered the many saves made by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu as they claimed that the Qatar World Cup qualifier draw was the greatest match in the team’s history.

Image Credits: Indian Football Team Twitter