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After braving the odds piled against them in the build-up to the Asian Games 2023, the Indian national football team rallied to the Round of 16 stages where they were ousted by heavyweights Saudi Arabia on Thursday. The Blue Tigers slumped to a 2-0 defeat against the top dogs on the continent.
Although Igor Stimac's men held the Green Falcons to a stalemate in the first 45 minutes, thanks to a staggering display from the backline, the second half was a more humbling affair. Khalil Maran scored a quickfire brace to secure a healthy 2-0 lead for the Saudis, and India were unable to crawl back into the tie from thereon.
While the defeat marked the end of their Asiad campaign, for the Blue Tigers plenty of assignments lie ahead of them, and Stimac will be eager for his men to bite into them.
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Let's take a look at the upcoming fixtures for the Indian national team.
#1 Merdeka Cup 2023 (October)
The Merdeka Cup, a quadrangular tournament, will be played in Malaysia from October 13.
The Blue Tigers will join the hosts Malaysia, Palestine, and Tajikistan. Igor Stimac has already named his 26-member squad for the competition with Sunil Chhetri and Manvir Singh as the only two forward options.
#2 FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers (November)
The initial set of matches for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, scheduled for the busy November international window, presents a significant challenge for the Indian national team.
The Blue Tigers finds itself placed in Group A, alongside Qatar, who hosted the previous World Cup, as well as competitive teams like Kuwait.
Additionally, either Afghanistan or Mongolia will join this group. Therefore, India will need to perform at their highest level to advance from this group.
#3 AFC Asian Cup 2023 (January)
This is the competition that Igor Stimac and his men have been preparing for all this while. If the Blue Tigers can string together a memorable performance in the continental competition, it could usher in a new era for Indian football.
However, slotted into Group B alongside Syria, Uzbekistan, and Australia, India will find it difficult to sneak into the knockout spots.
