Efficient Qatar emerge as too stern a test for Igor Stimac's India | FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

After the historic night in Kuwait, India were handed a reality check as tidy Qatar subjected the hosts to a 0-3 drubbing at the Kalinga Stadium, Odisha on Tuesday.

An early strike from Mustafa Masheel put the AFC Asian Cup champions ahead in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier. After the break, Almoez Ali doubled the lead for the visitors, and deep into the night, Yusuf Abdurisag sealed India's fate with a stunning header.

Building up to the game, despite the positive result in the previous clash against Kuwait, India head coach Igor Stimac decided to alter his lineup with Amrinder Singh replacing Gurpreet Singh Sandhu between the sticks.

Akash Mishra made way for a more defensively resolute Subhasish Bose, while Anirudh Thapa was slotted in for Sahal Abdul Samad. Udanta Singh and Lallianzuala Chhangte replaced Manvir Singh, who scored the winner in the last game, and Naorem Mahesh Singh, respectively.

But the widespread changes across the board probably didn't help India's nerves as they conceded as early as the fourth minute. An initial corner delivery from Akram Afif was headed away, but the ball was hooved back into the box and after some chaotic defending from the hosts, Mustafa Masheel took control of the proceedings and thumped home the opening goal of the night.

While some slick movements from Apuia in the middle of the park gave the Blues some control after going behind early on, the incessant pressing from Carlos Queiroz's side slashed down the Blue Tigers' hopes of responding immediately. Rather the Indian backline looked shaky for most parts of the first half, with Amrinder extremely clumsy with his distribution.

A glaring opportunity arrived for Qatar right after the drinks break when goalscorer Mustafa Masheel was left unmarked inside the box from a corner situation. However, his headed attempt was acrobatically parried away by the Indian shot-stopper.

As the game rolled into the final five minutes of the first half, Stimac's men continued to gain some footing. Cheered on by an ecstatic crowd at the Kalinga Stadium, Sunil Chhetri's youthful exuberance helped him dislodge Khoukhi outside Qatar's box. The veteran forward threaded the ball through for Anirudh Thapa who was making an adventurous run into the box. But his outrageous choice to toe-poke the ball led to the squandering of the gilt-edge opportunity.

While the Indian fans let out a gasp in unison, there was some visible hope to be bottled in for the second half.

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Qatar scored twice in the second half

During the half-time break, legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who was in attendance for the clash, underlined that the Blue Tigers needed to operate with a slightly more tempo. But the pressure from Qatar continued to overwhelm the home side and the second goal was an outcome of the same.

Khoukhi, who had almost cost the visitors a goal in the first half, danced past his marker and whipped in a lobbed ball for Akram Afif. However, the latter's effort was clumsily palmed under his own body by Amrinder and Almoez Ali tucked the ball into the open.

Following the trends from the first 45 minutes, after conceding early on, India were once again on the ascendency. Substitute Sahal Abdul Samad was presented with India's best opportunity when Suresh Singh found the ATK Mohun Bagan midfielder with an inch-perfect lob.

Sahal controlled the ball with ease but his effort from an acute angle rolled wide of the target and sank the hearts of home supporters. Qatar, meanwhile, kept their foot on the pedal, and in the 86th minute, Abdurisag left unmarked inside the box, sealed a 0-3 victory for the table-toppers with a thumping header.

After over an hour of unceasing cheers, the Kalinga Stadium finally went silent and Igor Stimac and his men were left to digest their first loss of the World Cup Qualifiers.

The Blue Tigers will now shift their focus to the AFC Asian Cup campaign, which starts early next year, and will return to face Afghanistan in the qualifiers later in March 2024.

Meanwhile, Qatar continue to cruise through the group-stage matches and have already accumulated a goal difference of 10 in just two outings.