India’s hopes of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 came to a disappointing end on Tuesday night, as they went down 1-2 to Singapore at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao. Despite a commanding start and constant attacking pressure, Khalid Jamil’s men failed to convert their dominance into goals, leaving their qualification campaign in tatters.
Playing their first home qualifier under Jamil, India began with intensity and purpose. The coach had urged his players to “attack from the start,” and his team responded well in the opening exchanges. The Blue Tigers pressed high, moved the ball swiftly, and stretched Singapore’s defence with fluid movement across both flanks.
The breakthrough arrived in the 15th minute through Lallianzuala Chhangte, who produced a moment of brilliance. Collecting the ball near the edge of the box, the winger unleashed a ferocious right-footer that flew past the goalkeeper into the top corner. The goal sent the crowd into raptures and reflected India’s dominance in the first half-hour.
However, the missed opportunities that followed would prove costly. Sunil Chhetri, Mahesh Singh, and Liston Colaco all came close to doubling the lead, but poor finishing and a lack of composure in front of the goal allowed Singapore to stay alive. The visitors, second-best for most of the half, found a lifeline just before the break.
In the 44th minute, Ikhsan Fandi slipped a clever pass into the path of Song Ui-Young, who made no mistake in beating Gurpreet Singh Sandhu at his far post to level the score 1-1.
India came out firing again after the restart. Chhangte and Liston continued to cause havoc on the wings, while Chhetri’s header in the 62nd minute forced a sharp save from the goalkeeper. The home side piled up corner after corner, but the finishing touch remained elusive.
Then came the decisive moment. In the 58th minute, completely against the run of play, Singapore punished India’s defensive lapse. A perfectly timed through from Fandi found Song free inside the box, and the midfielder coolly slotted home his second goal of the night.
The goal rattled the hosts, but they kept pressing till the final whistle. Subhasish Bose, Rahul Bheke, and substitute Farukh Choudhary all had chances late in the game, yet Singapore’s compact defence stood firm under relentless pressure. As the clock ticked down, frustration grew on the Indian bench, with Jamil visibly agitated by his team’s wastefulness.
India remain winless after four group fixtures. Two points in the kitty means they are out of the race to qualify for the main draw of the Asian Cup. Hong Kong and Singapore lead this group with eight points each. Bangladesh sit third with two points, above India on goal difference.
It was a night of missed chances and unfulfilled potential — a performance full of effort but lacking in precision. For Jamil and his boys, their first match together on home soil ended in heartbreak.
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