After a string of drawn matches, India faced their first defeat in the FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers with a 0-1 loss to Oman, who scored in the 33rd minute at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat to secure victory against the away side.
For India, this makes progression close to impossible, as the team is second from the bottom of the table (a place taken by Bangladesh) with just three matches to go.
While the top teams in all the eight groups will progress to the next round, only the four best second-placed teams will make it further. Even if India wins all the next three games, that would still put their score at 12 points—which is what Oman already has in the number two position, with three games left to play.
Oman missed a penalty early in the game after Rahul Bheke committed a foul. Mubarak Al-Ghafri missed his shot from afar, keeping Indian fans sighing in relief.
India played a close game with Oman until the 33rd minute, when a through ball by Mohsin Johar found Muhsen Al Ghassani who tapped the ball in.
Shortly after, Adil Khan suffered a pulled hamstring that saw him substituted by Anas Edathodika.
India tried and failed to equalise in the rest of the game, with Brandon Fernandes and Udanta Singh taking their chances and missing.
Despite six minutes of stoppage time, India were unable to beat the higher-ranked Oman team, who have not lost a match at home since 2012.
India last played Oman in Guwahati in September, losing by two goals, both scored by Al Mandar.
If India does not progress to the second round, the team will also fail to qualify for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
