India’s dreams of qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup were dashed on Tuesday, as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Singapore in their third-round qualification match at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The match started positively for India, with Lallianzuala Chhangte scoring an early goal. However, Korea-born Singapore midfielder Song Ui-young turned the game around with two goals that ultimately sealed India’s fate.
India entered the match needing a win, having collected only two points from their previous three games. With enthusiastic support from their home crowd, the Blue Tigers looked strong initially, controlling the ball and creating several chances. Chhangte’s stunning left-footed strike in the 14th minute gave them the lead and lifted their spirits.
Unfortunately, just before halftime, Singapore struck back. In the 44th minute, Song found space in the Indian box and skillfully equalized the score at 1-1. This goal seemed to shift the momentum toward Singapore as the second half began.
After the break, Singapore came out sharper while India struggled to turn their possession into effective scoring opportunities. In the 58th minute, Song took advantage of a defensive mistake by India, netting his second goal and putting Singapore ahead 2-1.
Desperate to get back into the game, India’s coach Khalid Jamil made aggressive substitutions, bringing on Rahim Ali and Udanta Singh to add more speed to the attack. India did create a few chances later on, but their finishing let them down.
The most notable chance came in the final minutes when Brandon Fernandes missed a close-range shot, failing to convert after good build-up play from Udanta and Rahul Bheke.
In another match in the group, Hong Kong and Bangladesh ended in a 1-1 draw, sealing India’s exit from the qualification race. Both Hong Kong and Singapore now lead the group with eight points each, leaving India to ponder their missed opportunities in yet another disappointing campaign.
