AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: India beat Afghanistan 2-1 – Sahal Samad’s stoppage-time strike saw India secure a dramatic 2-1 win over Afghanistan in Group D of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers Final Round on Saturday as Igor Stimac’s side moved a step closer to qualification for the Finals. Follow AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2023 live updates on InsideSport.IN
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: India beat Afghanistan as Sahal Abdul Samad scores injury time winner, India wins 2-1, Watch India beat Afghanistan HIGHLIGHTS
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
- 85′ Sunil Chhetri gives India the lead from a direct free-kick.
- 88′ – Haroon Amiri heads in for a quick equaliser from the corner.
- 90+2′ – Sahal Abdul Samad scores the winning goal for Indian after coming on.
FULL-TIME at the VYBK Stadium!
A goal from @chetrisunil11 and a late goal from @sahal_samad gives India 🇮🇳
all the 3️⃣ points tonight!WHAT A NIGHT OF FOOTBALL!
AFG 1️⃣-2️⃣ IND #AFGIND ⚔️ #ACQ2023 🏆 #BlueTigers 🐯 #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/9Jo0uuWPdf
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) June 11, 2022
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2023 Points Table
Asian Cup Qualification Round 3 Grp. D
| # | Team | PL | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Hong Kong |
2 | 4 | 6 |
| 2 |  India |
2 | 3 | 6 |
| 3 |  Afghanistan |
2 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 |  Cambodia |
2 | -5 | 0 |
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: India beat Afghanistan 2-1
Samad hit the winner after Sunil Chhetri’s 86th minute free-kick had been cancelled out by a Zubayr Amiri header two minutes later in a frantic finish at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium and India are now level at the top of Group D with Hong Kong with one game remaining.
Both teams have six points ahead of their meeting on Tuesday while Afghanistan now have no chance of progressing to the Finals after losing both of their opening games in the competition.
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: Sahal Abdul Samad scores injury time winner
Indian defender Jeakson Singh Thounaojam went closest to breaking the deadlock when he powered a header over the bar after a perfectly flighted 16th minute corner from Roshan Singh Naorem.
Roshan then forced Faisal Hamidi to make a sharp save at his near post with a cheeky attempt from wide on the right eight minutes before the break.
Chhetri set himself up for an acrobatic attempt in the dying seconds of the half only to see his effort blocked by Haroon Amiri while four minutes after the restart the 37-year-old was off target with a close range header while under pressure from the Afghan defence.
Ahmad Haydary squandered a rare chance for Afghanistan in the 64th minute when he steered his header outside Gurpreet Singh’s left post and at the other end Muhammad Ashique Kuruniyan smashed his long-range attempt narrowly wide.
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: Sunil Chhetri scores 83rd International goal
The action continued to move from one end to the other as both teams grew increasingly desperate to claim a much needed winner with Fernandes shooting high over the goal before Chhetri finally put India in front when he slammed his free kick home.
But Afghanistan refused to yield and Amiri headed past Gupreet to level the scores two minutes later, only for Sahal to fire his right foot shot into the bottom corner to seal a remarkable win for India.
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: India beat Afghanistan as Sahal Abdul Samad scores injury time winner, India wins 2-1, Watch India beat Afghanistan HIGHLIGHTS
