Drawing Qatar was not my best performance, feels Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

The Blue Tigers will face the reigning Asian champions once again on June 3.

The goalless draw against Qatar in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers remains Indian football team's only high point in an otherwise disappointing campaign so far in the World Cup qualifiers. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was one of the stars that night with the Indian custodian pulling off an extraordinary show with the gloves in hand. His saves and spirited performance by the outfield players helped India hold the Asian champions to a goalless draw.

Gurpreet Singh looks back on that memorable night in Doha and pens down his experience of the match. The Indian custodian also reveals the game against Qatar wasn't his best individual career performance.

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"Being in Qatar brings out a different feeling. It was here in 2011 that I first came over with the Indian football team for the AFC Asian Cup. I was 18 then," Gurpreet writes. "Then I was here again in 2011 some months later when I toured with the Indian U-23 team for the Olympic Qualifiers. On both occasions I was on the bench – waiting, and watching for my chance, and imagining a lot. The chance came calling some 8 years later."

India begin 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a defeat

The Indian football team started their World Cup qualifying campaign with a disaapointing 2-1 defeat to Oman despite leading the game until the 80th minute. Sunil Chhetri has put the Blue Tigers ahead in the 24th minute. India held on to that lead before Al Mandhar Al Alawi two goals inside eight minutes at the death to seal the game for Oman.

"In Guwahati in 2019, after the 2-1 loss against Oman in our first match of the FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers, there was pin-drop silence in the dressing room after the final whistle. Everyone was dumbstruck, panting heavily, sipping water. None uttered a word," Gurpreet explains sharing the despondency in the Indian dressing room.

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"There was disbelief among the Indian football team players that we lost after leading 1-0 for 80 minutes. But amidst all that disbelief, there was a belief to better it," he writes.

"We flew the next day and when we got to Doha, everything was perfect. The environment, the food, the hotel, the training pitch – all were so ideal. We used to discuss amongst ourselves – ‘Look at the pitch, look at the stadium. It doesn’t get better than this.’

Sunil-bhai was there but wasn’t there. He got ill. We could sense his frustration," Gurpreet writes on the Indian skipper. "So much so that he wasn’t even able to go to a single practice session, and even on the matchday against Qatar, he watched it on TV from his room." Chhetri missed the game as he was down with fever.

India hold Qatar to goalless draw

"The plan on match day was to make life difficult for Qatar, who are such a talented team. They had won the AFC Asian Cup earlier that year and were buzzing after playing in the Copa America," says Gurpreet Singh recalling the match against the Asian champions.

"We had to stay compact against them and take our chances whenever we smelt a counter. And with that, we had to fight with everything. Everyone was desperate to contribute – everyone was trying their best.

"As a goalkeeper, it’s always so assuring to get the first touch of the ball without committing any mistake. That sets the tone for me, and I guess for all goalkeepers. Hence, I always look forward to getting the feel of the ball early," writes Gurpreet, who has already represented India in 36 matches.

"I remember they had a corner and someone at the first post in an attempt to head it out flicked the ball. I lost my cool, shouted at him. But soon realised that he tried his best to jump for that extra inch. We were all trying, trying to bring out that inhuman from all humans," he says.

"The clock started ticking, and we started to grow in confidence. The first half ended goalless. We could gauge the frustration around, as the prediction that we would be whitewashed wasn’t coming true. It allowed us to breathe a bit more. We realised we were heading in the right direction. ‘Take some blows guys, we can do it,’ was the sentiment. The pressure was huge, but the belief was more.

"The dynamics were even better in the 2nd half. Seeing Sahal, Udanta dribble past the best in Asia – the same side, who won the Asian Cup was a message which hit them hard," describes Gurpreet Singh. "It was a great boost. We were not just defending, rather we were attacking and pushing them on the back foot on occasions.

"Abdulkarim Hassan, the best side-back in Asia, I guess, never expected an Indian winger (Udanta) to speed past him in two quick successions, making him breathe heavily. When I punched a Hassan Al Haidous free-kick and the ball landed to Sahal, the rivals were caught unaware as Sahal latched on to it, and got past them. Eventually, a professional foul came to their rescue. That’s what pleases you – doing the unexpected when nothing is expected of you," says the Indian custodian.

Gurpreet Singh reveals his best performance

Almost everyone I speak to always makes me remember about the Qatar match. But if you ask me, that isn’t my best performance so far," writes Gurpreet. "I understand that in the Qatar match, we got a result – and hence, it will always stay a highlight.

"Rather, I will always pick two other matches for the Indian football team ahead of my performance against Qatar. The away match against Iran in the World Cup Russia 2018 Qualifiers in 2016 in front of a packed Azadi Stadium in Tehran will always remain on top of my list. Yeah, we lost 0-4, but I feel there was much more pressure in Tehran than in Doha," he says.

"The match against China in China also ranks high on my list. It required me to be at my best, and depicted my mentality, like all others."

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