India kicked off its AFC Under-23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers campaign with an impressive 2-0 victory over Bahrain at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium on Wednesday night, marking a strong start in Group H.
The goals came from Muhammed Suhail in the 32nd minute and Chingangbam Shivaldo Singh deep into injury time (90+5’), giving the Blue Colts all three points in a match that combined nervy moments with flashes of brilliance.
The action began with high intensity, and it was Bahrain who nearly drew first blood. In the eighth minute, Indian goalkeeper Sahil found himself dispossessed inside his own penalty area by Mahmood Abdulla, who seemed certain to score. However, his shot only found the side-netting, letting India off the hook.
That close call appeared to spark India into life. The team gradually grew in confidence, using the counterattack effectively. Their efforts bore fruit in the 32nd minute, when Macarton Louis Nickson released Suhail down the right wing. Suhail dazzled with nimble footwork, wrong-footing his defender before coolly placing the ball into the bottom corner—an individual goal that broke the deadlock.
The second half saw both sides ramp up the tempo. Bahrain, trailing, pushed hard for an equaliser while India continued to threaten on the break. Bahrain briefly thought they had restored parity when Sayed Mahmood Almoosawi scored from close range, but the goal was disallowed due to offside.
As stoppage time approached, Bahrain committed players forward, trying desperately to find a breakthrough. But the Indian defence held firm, and goalkeeper Abdulla Ali Ahmed had to come up big at the other end, saving sharply from substitute Sahil Harijan to keep his team in the contest.
India’s persistence paid off in the dying seconds. Sreekuttan delivered a perfect cross from the left, and Shivaldo met it with a diving header, burying the ball past the keeper to seal the win.
With this result, India takes an early lead in Group H and will look to carry forward the momentum in its remaining fixtures. The performance, full of grit and composed finishing, sets a promising tone for their qualification campaign.
