FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Doungel's stoppage-time goal helps India hold Afghanistan to 1-1 draw

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• India's winless run in the World Cup qualifiers extended to six matches after this result

 

Aspirited performance from the Indian football team helped them walk away with a 1-1 draw against Afghanistan in their FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Central Republic Stadium in Dushanbe on Thursday.

India were trailing 0-1 at the half-way mark after Zelfy Nazary put Afghanistan ahead in the 46th minute as he stormed into the box and smashed the ball past goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

India created quite a few chances after being pushed on the backfoot and the efforts finally paid off in stoppage time when Seiminlen Doungel headed home a pin-point cross from the corner kick taken by Brandon Fernandes in the third minute of added time.

India looked to take on the opposition but they could not create any clear chances, and the couple of half chances in the opening minutes failed to test the Afghan custodian.

There was a change straightaway for India after the break as Stimac substituted Mandar with Farukh Choudhary.

The visitors showed urgency and looked desperate for an equaliser. They had a chance in the 58th minute but skipper Sunil Chhetri's header off a cross from right back Pritam Kotal was saved by Azizi. At the other end, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made a diving save.

While he will be disappointed to end the match in a stalemate, Stimac's decision to bring in Doungel in place of Kotal paid dividends.