A win against Qatar was all that the Indian Football Team needed to create history. A win meant, India would reach the Round 3 of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, something which hasn’t been done in the history of the nation. But as luck would have it, a shambolic decision by the referee helped Qatar equalise. And with wind on their sails, the hosts got a goal to knock India out of hunt for a World Cup Finals.
No VAR, No Goal line Tech & Linesman – a Joke
Ask a little kid about the rules of football, and he/she will say ‘if the ball crosses the goal line, it would be a corner’. But on the flipside, linesman whose main job was to witness the position of the ball, probably remained blind or was enjoying a siesta in a hot afternoon in Doha.
It was the 73rd minute of the game. The ball went behind Indian skipper and goalie Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The whole of the ball, crossed the whole of the line. The Indian players stopped and started to take their position for a corner. On the flip side, Yousef Ayman dragged the ball from far beyond the goal line to put into the back of the net.
And that is how Qatar managed to pull a goal back against the high flying Blue Tigers. Amidst all the protest by the Indian players, the referee and the linesmen turned to deaf ears.
Team India sans Sunil Chhetri
This was the first game which the Blue Tigers players since the talismanic striker and captain, Sunil Chhetri retired. Young striker Rahim Ali donned the hallowed Number 11 jersey. And it was safe to say that he was live wire on the pitch. Though his finishing and ball control needs to improve, his workrate and off the ball runs helped India continue their unrelenting press against the Qataris.
In the end, it was Lallianzuala Chhangte who ended India’s goal drought with a simple finish. Brandon delivered a clever ball into the box. And Chhangte, the wide forward evaded his market to put the ball into the back of the net.
India did find the back of the net in a team devoid of ‘The Sunil Chhetri’, but there is still a long way to go. For now, it was back to square one as India begin again from the scratch.
