Gurpreet Singh Sandhu becomes first player to speak up on India's AFC Asian Cup display

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu apologised to the fans for the nation’s debacle at the competition.

India’s 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaign was a complete failure, as they failed to get even a single point out of their group stage fixtures. India finished as one of the two teams to finish the competition without scoring a goal. And not just that, the Blue Tigers also lost all three of their group stage matches.

It was an embarrassing performance from Igor Stimac’s side to say the least. The fans turned up in huge numbers across all venues and made Qatar a home away from home for the players. But, what did they receive in return? Embarrassment, lack of intent and a forgetful AFC Asian Cup campaign.

India lost their first match 2-0 against Australia before losing 3-0 to a too strong and too powerful Uzbekistan side. Syria put the final nail in their coffin as Stimac’s army faced a third consecutive defeat at the championship.

India’s dismal showing at the continental tournament has cost them 35.57 points and they are all set to drop down 15 places in the upcoming FIFA rankings. In short, India will be ranked 117, their lowest ranking since 2017. 

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu reacts to the AFC Asian Cup debacle

After more than three weeks since India’s last match at the AFC Asian Cup, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has reacted to his side’s performance at the continental showpiece and has shared a post on his social media handles.

Sandhu is the first player from the Indian national team to have shared a message on social media after India’s horrible display at the event. 

Gurpreet wrote that he understands that the Blue Tigers did not make the most out of the opportunity and also asserted that India can do well against the teams they faced at the Asian Cup.

“As the AFC Asian Cup ends and after having some time to reflect. It was a tough campaign for us and we didn’t do justice to the opportunity we had. I know in my heart we can do well against these sides.”

He also expressed his gratitude for all the love and support that the team had received. Sandhu also apologized to the fans and said that the team will be back.

“Of course things didn’t work out. But that doesn’t mean we give up. We are extremely thankful for all the love and support we received while we took onto the pitch and just really sorry for letting a lot of you down. We are India and we’ll be back,” he added.

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