India loses to Singapore and is eliminated from the qualifying race for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup

On a night when India showed great promise, they had to swallow the bitter pill of a 1-2 defeat to Singapore, ending their hopes of a third successive AFC Asian Cup qualification.

Branded as a defensive coach, Khalid Jamil made good on his promise to attack football in his first home match as India’s head coach here at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

India played their best football in some time with a ferocious start punctuated by Lallianzuala Chhangte’s outrageous shout. Singapore was there for the taking, but India repulsed multiple openings before Singapore delivered two sucker punches to knock out the home side.

The defeat left India bottom of Group C, with no wins in four matches against teams ranked below 134.

Building on its fast start, India should have been at least three goals ahead before the 40th minute, with Chhangte firing over the bar from the edge of the box.

A few minutes later, Mahesh Singh Naorem, who started at No. 10, smashed his effort straight at the keeper after being pinned by Sunil Chhetri at the end of an 11-step move from front to back.

Jamil swapped wingers Chhangte and Liston Colaco on the flanks, hoping to make the most of their crosses rather than their tendency to turn from the flanks.

Both forwards were found in dangerous areas behind Singapore’s backline, but their final passes were expertly scuppered by some last-ditch defending by centre-backs Safuwan Baharudin and Hariss Harun.

India were ruthless in their pressing and forced Singapore – who liked to play from the back – into making unforced errors.

Nikhil Prabhu played like a man possessed as a midfield destroyer, crashing into Singapore’s attackers, preventing them from turning with the ball.

The away team was guilty of going out of bounds or finding Indian players in their own half. He was the perfect foil for the returning Lalengmawia Ralte, who controlled the pace in the engine room with his pass.

India’s work rate paid off in the 14th minute as Singapore were forced to play it back before Baharudin gave the ball away to Chhangte in the middle of the park.

Singapore’s midfield stood away from him, allowing the winger to position himself before cutting the ball across goal with his weaker foot from 30 yards out. The stadium held its breath as the ball hit the top left corner to give India the deserved lead.

As India continued to keep Singapore off the hook, the away side waited patiently for a lucky break, which came just before half-time. As fatigue crept into his legs, Colaco allowed a cross from the right into the penalty area, which Rahul Bheke failed to clear with his header.

The ball fell kindly to Glenn Kweh, who calmly set up Song Ui-Young to slide the ball along the ground with his feet, past Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s diving hand and into the net, a cruel blow that India had to take on the break.

Despite the setback, India continued to press on in the second half, while Singapore were happy to take the pressure and use their pace to hurt India on the break.

Prabhu gave him the initiative when he slipped while trying to bring the ball down, lost possession in Singapore’s half, and pushed India’s line high up the pitch.

Singapore entered a lightning break, with Indian defenders everywhere. Shawal Anuar slipped in an unmarked UI-Young on the left, who set himself up before hitting the ball past Gurpreet again for Singapore’s second.

The parties of the past meekly surrendered, but this group continued to fight until the end. India scored several corners between the 56th and 75th minutes, but Singapore’s defenders were up to the task and made key interventions.

Chhetri got a late header from Chhangte’s cross but could not get a placement on it before he was hooked for Rahim Ali, India’s savior in Singapore. Jamil brought on Sahal Abdul Samad, Brandon Fernandes, Farukh Choudhary and Udanta Singh, but apart from a late header from Udanta, which missed the far post, no one really had the desired impact to get India out of trouble again.

Published on October 14, 2025