HISOR, TAJIKISTAN — On Monday, the men’s national team beat Oman 3-2 on penalties to take third place at the CAFA Nations Cup in Hisor, Tajikistan. This was a big deal for Indian football. This win is the first time India has beaten a team ranked higher than them in an international football match. It ends a long string of losses against the West Asian team.
The game, which took place at the Hisor Central Stadium, concluded in a tie after regular time and extra time. In the 55th minute, Jameel Al Yahmadi scored to give Oman, who is ranked 79th in the world, the lead. India, on the other hand, didn’t give up and scored an equalizer in the 80th minute thanks to a well-timed header from Udanta Singh.
The match progressed to a tight penalty shootout after the extra 30 minutes didn’t find a winner. The bravery of Indian goalkeeper and captain Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made all the difference. Oman missed their first two penalty attempts, but India’s Lallianzuala Chhangte and Rahul Bheke made theirs. The Blue Tigers won 3-2 even though Anwar Ali and Udanta Singh missed their penalties. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made a critical diving save on Oman’s last chance to seal the win. In the shootout, Jithin MS also scored for India.
The win gives the Indian squad a big boost in morale because they were the lowest-ranked team going into the event (133rd). India and Oman both came in second in their groups, which set up the playoff for third place. India’s recent record against Oman was not good. They lost six times and drew three times in their last nine games since 2000, including their latest game in March 2021, which finished in a 1-1 tie.
The Indian squad’s third-place position and historic triumph over Oman are great signs for them under new head coach Khalid Jamil. They give the team a strong base to build on as they get ready for forthcoming international matches, such the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.