India eye victory against Afghanistan in push for CAFA Nations Cup play-offs

Hisor [Tajikistan], September 3 (ANI): Qualification for the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 Playoff Stage is connected the line, arsenic India instrumentality connected Afghanistan successful their past lucifer of Group B astatine the Hisor Central Stadium successful Hisor, Tajikistan, connected Thursday.

The Blue Tigers person played two, won one, and mislaid one, against Tajikistan (2-1) and Iran (0-3), respectively, truthful acold successful the CAFA Nations Cup. India are tied connected 3 points with Tajikistan, and the erstwhile are up by virtuousness of a amended head-to-head record. The apical teams from each radical volition advancement to the final, portion the 2 second-placed teams volition marque it to the third-place match, some to instrumentality spot connected September 8.

As things stand, the Blue Tigers request a triumph against Afghanistan, and anticipation that Tajikistan bash not triumph against Iran, successful bid to progress. A gully against Afghanistan whitethorn besides beryllium capable for India, if the lucifer betwixt Iran and Tajikistan besides ends successful a gully oregon an Iranian victory. However, a decision volition effect successful elimination, arsenic Tajikistan, successful specified a scenario, would person the amended extremity quality successful the matches played betwixt the 3 teams who would extremity up connected 3 points each (Tajikistan, India and Afghanistan), according to All India Football Federation (AIFF) website.

India caput manager Khalid Jamil, however, is not reasoning of specified permutations and combinations up of this important tie.

'We are not reasoning of each specified scenarios astatine this point. There is nary constituent to it,' Jamil said to the-aiff.com.

'We volition spell into the crippled looking for a win. It's arsenic elemental arsenic that,' helium added.

India's triumph against hosts Tajikistan successful their archetypal lucifer of the tourney was their archetypal competitory triumph since November 2023. While the 0-3 decision against Iran whitethorn look different connected paper, the Blue Tigers are maintaining a affirmative outlook.

'We are each bittersweet that we played truthful good successful the archetypal half, and past things did not click for america successful the second. I'll beryllium the archetypal 1 to judge that I made a mistake with the substitution astatine that point, and they managed to people aft it,' said Jamil.

'But this is arsenic overmuch of a learning curve for the players arsenic it is for the coach. We volition instrumentality the learnings successful our stride and determination on,' helium noted.

'I indispensable commend my players for doing everything I asked of them. They showed large cognition against a squad that was of a overmuch higher quality. At the end, I deliberation the scoreline was not fair. We did not merit to suffer 0-3,' helium added.

India (133rd successful the FIFA rankings) clasp the precocious manus against Afghanistan (161st successful the FIFA rankings) successful the head-to-head records, having won 13 times, portion Afghanistan person emerged victorious against India lone connected 2 occasions; 7 matches betwixt the 2 sides person ended successful draws.

The past lucifer betwixt India and Afghanistan, however, ended successful a 1-2 decision for the Blue Tigers successful Guwahati, successful the World Cup qualifiers, past year. India's past triumph against Afghanistan came 3 years ago, a 2-1 triumph successful the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers successful Kolkata. Despite the history, Jamil is approaching the lucifer with an aerial of caution.

'Afghanistan are a bully side, truthful we cannot instrumentality them lightly. They person a chance, and they volition decidedly play hard against us,' helium said.

'Our past effect was not up to the mark, truthful we request to respond likewise,' helium noted.

'We've had little clip to recover, truthful we request to beryllium astatine our best. Those who person not had overmuch crippled clip truthful acold request to beryllium ready, arsenic we mightiness request them to springiness their 100 per cent,' said Jamil.

India, however, volition miss the services of centre-back Sandesh Jhingan, who, on with goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and defender Rahul Bheke, was named arsenic the triumvirate of captains for the Blue Tigers.

'I've ne'er seen a subordinate arsenic brave arsenic Sandesh. Even with the injury, helium kept playing successful the past match. Not galore players tin bash that,' said Jamil.

'We volition decidedly miss his presence. He's a large motivator connected and disconnected the transportation for the others. It's hard to find a replacement for him, but this besides allows the others to measurement up,' helium added.

Defender Rahul Bheke is relishing the acquisition of playing against prime Central Asian opponents arsenic portion of India's preparations for the 2 Asian Cup qualifiers against Singapore adjacent month.

'Right from the archetypal time of the camp, the caller faces person been proving themselves, and it's been a bully acquisition for america each successful the CAFA Nations Cup, truthful far,' Bheke said connected the eve of the Afghanistan match.

'I deliberation everyone knows however important it is to beryllium present with the nationalist team, and however important it is for america to execute successful a tourney similar this,' helium noted.

'I deliberation the boys person shown however overmuch we've improved. Now the ream trial is successful beforehand of us, successful the signifier of the 3rd game. I deliberation we person to bash overmuch amended and get a affirmative effect from here,' said Bheke. (ANI)