India’s AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification hopes took a serious hit as the Blue Tigers were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Singapore at the National Stadium on Tuesday night. Despite Rahim Ali’s late equaliser rescuing a point, the result left more questions than answers — about India’s intent, team selection, and tactical approach under head coach Khalid Jamil.
The night began with promise but soon descended into frustration. Knowing that anything less than a win would damage their hopes of reaching a third straight Asian Cup, India played without urgency or attacking structure. For most of the first half, the Blue Tigers looked passive, sitting deep and showing little desire to create. While the defence, led by Sandesh Jhingan and Anwar Ali, stood firm initially, the lack of attacking transitions meant Singapore controlled the tempo.
In first-half stoppage time, the pressure finally told. A long ball from Hariss Harun wasn’t cleared properly by Mohammed Uvais, allowing Ikhsan Fandi to sneak in behind and slot home past Gurpreet Singh Sandhu — a goal that exposed India’s indecision and lack of focus at the back.
Things worsened after the break when Jhingan received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Fandi, leaving India with ten men. The red card visibly rattled the side, and Jamil cut a helpless figure on the sidelines. Though his team battled hard, it was clear that the tactical plan had unravelled long before the sending-off.
“From what I could see, it was a 50-50 decision,” said captain Sunil Chhetri after the match. “But when we’ve got to play with 10 men, we have to play with 10 men.”
Jamil’s team selection also raised eyebrows even before kick-off. Despite Sahal Abdul Samad and Deepak Tangri being available, Jamil opted to start Macarton Lewis and Farukh Choudhary — both of whom failed to make an impact. The absence of key names like Apuia, Anirudh Thapa, and Manvir Singh has only deepened the mystery. Were they left out by the coach, or did Mohun Bagan SG refuse to release them ahead of the IFA Shield? The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has offered no clarification so far. The same uncertainty surrounded the omission of Ashique Kuruniyan and Suresh Wangjam, players who have consistently shown higher pedigree than several of those selected.
It’s worth noting that Jamil faced his own challenges even before the qualifiers began. The India camp in Bengaluru, which started on September 20, saw only 16 of the 30 probables turn up, as several ISL clubs were reluctant to release their players since the camp fell outside the international window. But even with limited resources, the lack of creativity and attacking intent remains concerning.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, India managed to find a late equaliser. Substitute Rahim Ali pounced on a defensive lapse from Singapore’s Jordan, intercepting a back-pass and slotting into an open net in the 90th minute. It was a rare moment of alertness in an otherwise sluggish performance.
Chhetri tried to put on a brave face after the match, saying, “Mathematically, we still have a chance to qualify. We’ll take one game at a time.” But even his tone betrayed the reality — this was a game India couldn’t afford to merely survive; they needed to dominate.
As things stand, India sit with just two points from three games, while Singapore have five. The reverse fixture in Goa on October 14 now looms as a make-or-break clash. But unless India rediscover their attacking spark and resolve the selection controversies, their Asian Cup dream might slip away before it even gets going.
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