India’s hopes of qualifying for their first-ever AFC Under-23 Asian Cup came to a heartbreaking end on Tuesday, as Qatar staged a dramatic late comeback to defeat Bahrain 2-1 in their final Group H qualifier.
Heading into the match, the Blue Colts needed Bahrain to beat Qatar—but not by more than two goals—in order to top the group in the event of a three-way tie. The script seemed to be unfolding perfectly when Bahrain broke the deadlock in the 71st minute. But India’s fortunes reversed in stoppage time, as Qatar struck twice in quick succession to claim all three points and finish as group leaders.
With Qatar’s win, India dropped to second in the group standings despite an impressive campaign. They wrapped up their qualifiers with two victories and one defeat, but it wasn’t enough. Only the 11 group winners and the four best second-placed teams advanced to the tournament, and India’s ranking as the fifth-best runner-up left them agonizingly short.
Earlier in the day, India had done their part with a commanding 6-0 victory over Brunei. Vibin Mohanan led the charge with a scintillating hat-trick, while Mohammed Aimen netted a brace and Ayush Chhetri added a goal of his own.
The result briefly reignited India’s qualification hopes, especially considering they had begun their campaign strongly with a 2-0 win over Bahrain. However, a 1-2 defeat to Qatar in their second outing left them with an uphill task and dependent on other results.
India’s head coach Naushad Moosa expressed disappointment at the narrow miss but praised his team’s fighting spirit. “The boys gave it everything on the field. It’s heartbreaking to miss out like this, especially after such a dominant win today,” he said.
Indeed, the final day drama summed up India’s rollercoaster journey in the qualifiers—strong performances, standout individual displays, but ultimately undone by fine margins and results elsewhere.
For now, India’s wait for a maiden appearance in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup continues, but the spirited showing will offer encouragement for the future of the Blue Colts.
