A resilient India held Singapore to a dramatic 1-1 draw on Thursday, salvaging a point from a match that saw them reduced to 10 men early in the second half. The result keeps India’s 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification hopes alive, though the path remains challenging. India fell behind in the first half stoppage time when Singapore’s Ikhsan Fandi capitalised on hesitation from defenders Anwar Ali and Muhammed Uvais, slotting home after a long pass into the box. The situation worsened soon after the second half began. Key defender Sandesh Jhingan, returning from a cheekbone fracture that required surgery, was sent off in the 47th minute after a second yellow card, leaving India to play with 10 men for most of the match. Despite Singapore dominating possession with over 60% of the ball and creating multiple attacking opportunities, India survived thanks to a late defensive blunder from the home side. Rahim Ali pounced on a poor backpass from Singapore’s Jordan Emaviwe in the 90th minute, rounding goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud to slot the ball into an open net, securing a crucial equaliser.Singapore’s inability to close out the match proved costly. India had struggled to create chances throughout the 90 minutes and would likely have lost without the error. With the draw, India now have two points from three matches after a 0-0 draw against Bangladesh and a 0-1 loss to Hong Kong in earlier fixtures. Only the top team in the group qualifies for the 2027 tournament, meaning every point is critical for India’s ambitions. Both sides will face off again in the return leg on October 14 in Margao, Goa, with India hoping to build on their resilience and turn their campaign around. Playing with 10 men and relying on counter-attacks, India showed determination and mental strength, even under pressure from a dominant Singapore side. The result, though far from ideal, provides a lifeline in the tightly contested Group C, where every match carries significant weight in the qualification race.
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India’s survival in this encounter underscores their need for sharper finishing and tactical discipline as they aim to challenge for the top spot in the group.
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