India Vs Qatar Highlights, AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers: IND 1-2 QAT; Controversial Jassem Penalty Condemns Blue Colts

Hello and welcome to everyone who has joined us this Saturday evening for some Indian football action. The country's U23 side is gearing up for a crucial clash against continental heavyweights Qatar, with high stakes for both teams with regards to qualification. Stay with us for the build-up and live updates.

The match kicks off at 10:30 pm IST. The India vs Qatar, AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers clash will be live streamed on the Alkass One channel on their website and the Shoof mobile app. It will not be televised on any TV channels in India.

India began their AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers journey with a 2-0 victory over Bahrain at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, with goals from Muhammed Suhail and Chingangbam Shivaldo Singh. The Indian U23 football team aims for a first-ever qualification to the continental tournament.

India's line-up is unchanged from the previous match against Bahrain. Check out the starting XI and substitute list below:

The Indian team has arrived at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium and is now warming up for the high-stakes encounter. Check out the visuals below:

The two teams and match officials stride out to the pitch, minutes ahead of kick-off. It is time now for the national anthems: India's first, then Qatar's. Play getting underway very soon.

And the match begins. India kicking from right to left and Qatar from left to right in the first half. The Blue Colts create an early chance and Muhammed Suhail tries to test the hosts' goalkeeper in the third minute, but the shot sails just over the crossbar.

India have made a bright start, entering the Qatar box repeatedly and coming close to scoring a couple of times. Meanwhile, defensive midfielder Macarton Louis Nickson suffers a shoulder injury and receives treatment from the physio.

Despite all of India's early running, it is Qatar who draw first blood. Al Hashmi Al Hussein puts the hosts ahead in the 18th minute, via a header to a corner. The defender's header bounces in the ground and flies over Indian goalie Sahil's outstretched palms, and into the net.

The early goal appears to have unsettled the Indians a bit, as Qatar make more attacking moves and earn a free-kick from a potentially dangerous position, though it amounts to nothing. The Blue Colts reset and are trying to claw their way back now.

This is the third meeting between the two teams, and India are fighting to be third time lucky. Their last face-off was back at the AFC Championship Qualifying second round in 2017, when Qatar edged India 1-0. Before that, they locked horns at the 2010 Asian Games, where the Blue Colts lost by a 1-2 margin.

After three minutes of added time, the referee blows the first-half whistle and India trail Qatar 0-1. Al Hashmi's goal separates the two sides and Naushad Moosa will surely give his wards a pep talk to try an find an equaliser after the lemon break.

The players return to the pitch and the second half gets underway in Doha. India now attacking from left to right and Qatar from right to left. The Blue Colts know they are still in with a chance and just need to convert one good chance to make a match of it.

India are right back in it! Muhammed Suhail brilliantly heads in Mohammed Sanan's accurate cross at the near post and the Blue Colts find the equaliser in the 53rd minute. The Indian crowd in the stands rejoices as their team stays alive in the match as well as the tournament. Game on!

Qatar strike back, albeit in a fortuitous manner. It's a really soft penalty in the 66th minute as referee Adam Kersey deems Pramveer to have brought down Noureldin Ibrahim in the box. The Indian is handed a second yellow card and thus, marching orders.

India are down to 10 men and Qatar captain Jassem Al Sharshani adds salt to their wounds by converting the penalty. His low shot bursts into the bottom right and the Blue Colts trail again.

Referee Adam Kersey is making a number of contentious calls. His performance is reminiscent of South Korean referee Kim Woo-Sung's error-strewn display in the India vs Qatar senior men's clash last year, which the Blue Tigers ended up losing 1-2.

Time is running out for the Indians, as we are now into the fifth and final minute of stoppage time. Qatar enjoying the numerical advantage and the Blue Colts need a miracle to rescue a draw now.

It's all over. The full-time whistle is blown, and Qatar emerge 2-1 victors. India played really well, and can be proud of their performance tonight. If not for the referee's contentious decisions, the scoreline as well as result could have been very different.

There's lots of chatter online about India's lion-hearted display, as also the referee's dubious decision-making. Just to reiterate, the man in charge tonight was Adam Kersey from Australia, and he is certain to face the wrath of numerous irate Indian football fans in the time to come.

Yes, the Blue Colts can still qualify. They have 3 points in Group H after two matches, with a goal difference of +1. Qatar lead the group with six points with a GD of +14), while Bahrain are third with 3 points and a GD of +8 and Brunei at the bottom with 0 points.

To guarantee themselves of qualification, India need to beat Brunei on Tuesday (September 9) and hope for Qatar to lose to Bahrain. If India finish second and rank among the top 4 runners-up across the 11 groups, they will advance anyway. So it all boils down to their last group-stage clash on Tuesday, with everything to play for.