AFC Asian Cup Qualifier 2027: Rahim Ali saves the day for India in 1-1 draw against Singapore

Rahim Ali’s late equalizer saved India’s blushes as India held Singapore to a 1-1 draw in the third round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers at the National Stadium in Kallang on Thursday.

The draw saw India move up to third place in the standings – with two points – while Singapore remained top of the table with five points after three matches for both sides.

It was a game of late goals – in both halves – and shared wins, with Ikhsan Fandi breaking the deadlock in first-half stoppage time. Fandi, who had also scored in India’s previous encounter against the Lions in 2022, remained a constant troublemaker since kick-off and teamed up with Shawal Anuar to give Singapore the lead.

AS IT HAPPENED: Highlights Singapore vs India, 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers

The night went from bad to worse for India as their centre-back Sandesh Jhingan was given marching orders after receiving a second yellow card two minutes into the second half. But a hint of complacency from the Lions saw Rahim score his first senior international goal in the final minute of regular time.

Coming off the bench, Rahim continued to press higher up the pitch and a mistake from Singapore goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud saw the striker grab the ball and kick it into an empty net, squaring the ball.

The Blue Tigers will need to win all their remaining three matches and hope the other three teams drop points to have a chance of a place in the Asian Cup.

Published on October 9, 2025