Indian Football Team are set to face familiar foes Kuwait in a crucial do-or-die encounter at the iconic Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Stadium on 6th June. The Blue Tigers will head into the India vs Kuwait clash, in a renewed zest. India have already secured a 1-0 win over them earlier and will look to replicate the same in what is going to be Sunil Chhetri’s last game in the Blue Tigers jersey,
What happened when India faced Kuwait earlier?
Earlier on November 16 last year, the Indian football team secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Kuwait in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. Mavir Singh scored the lonely goal of the tie at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City, as India began their campaign with a win.
The game was intense and tightly contested, with both teams displaying strategic prowess and determination. The first half ended goalless, reflecting the strong defensive play from both sides. However, India managed to break the deadlock in the second half when winger Manvir Singh scored the only goal of the match in the 75th minute.
This decisive goal came from a well-executed cross by Lallianzuala Chhangte, allowing Manvir to smash a half-volley past the Kuwaiti goalkeeper. Kuwait, known for their solid defensive tactics, mounted several attacks but failed to penetrate the resilient Indian defence, marshalled effectively by Sandesh Jhingan.
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Can Indian Football Team qualify for the next round with win India vs Kuwait?
Following a poor performance against Afghanistan in their past two games, the Indian Football Team is in a vulnerable position, with just two teams going to the third round after six matches. They began their campaign with a 1-0 success against Kuwait, but a 3-0 setback to Qatar in Bhubaneshwar harmed their case, and a tie and loss to Afghanistan made India’s task even more difficult.
Although India is now second in the group with four points from as many games, the Sunil Chhetri-led team is just ahead of Afghanistan on goal difference. India must win both of its remaining games and cannot afford to lose another point to move to the next round.