India

A federation more worried about the optics of executive committee member Deepak Sharma's arrest undermining it's developmental efforts than the actual safety of it's women's footballers needs a re-think.

Are things as bad as they seemed with the Indian football team or can India head for their crucial FIFA World Cup Qualifier games in June with the form and confidence they displayed last summer?

All of Stimac's bravado ahead of both the games against Afghanistan reduced to a goalless draw and a deserved loss.

A 2-1 loss to Afghanistan dealt a massive blow to India's hopes of qualifying for the third round of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

India took the lead from a Chhetri penalty but Afghanistan scored twice in the 2nd half to clinch victory.

India will look to bounce back from the goalless draw against Afghanistan with a win in Guwahati as Chhetri and co. attempt to end goalscoring drought.

It's now been 532 minutes since India last scored a goal in international football. That's nearly nine hours of goalless football spread across four months.

India spurned plenty of chances as they were held to a goalless draw by Afghanistan, but climbed to second in the Group A standings of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

India travel to the high altitudes of Abha, Saudi Arabia to face Afghanistan in the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with plenty at stake.

The time for rationalizing bad results (like the AFC Asian Cup) is over: now, it's time for Igor Stimac's India to deliver as favourites against a second-string Afghanistan.