Top five football matches between India and Afghanistan

India and Afghanistan have produced some memorable contests over the years.

Indian men’s football team are set to play two back-to-back 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (second round) fixtures against Afghanistan on 22 March and 26 March 2024, respectively. Over the past many years, both countries have developed an exciting rivalry and are set to write another chapter. 

Judging by the past, one can safely say that matches between the Blue Tigers and the Lions of Khorasan are extremely enjoyable. Hard work, intensity, and competitiveness are always displayed by both sets of players who go to extreme ends to produce a positive result for their respective countries. There are passionate fans on either sides who will cheer their team when they meet in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (second round), intending to advance to the third round.

As both teams search for a win, the contest is set to be thoroughly entertaining for the fans and the neutrals. Thus, here is a trip down memory lane, looking at the five best football matches between India and Afghanistan.

5. Afghanistan 0-4 India (12 January 2003)

The 2003 SAFF Championship was not the most fruitful for the Indian men’s football team. The Blue Tigers lost in the semi-final to hosts Bangladesh who eventually went on to win the tournament. 

However, in the group stages, The Blues secured a convincing 4-0 win over Afghanistan that made them one of the favorites for the tournament. Ashim Biswas and Alvito D’Cunha scored a brace each to propel India to a stylish win.

4. Afghanistan 2-0 India (11 September 2013)

Afghanistan is not a pushover when it comes to football and they showed it by defeating Blue Tigers by a 2-0 scoreline in 2013 at the SAFF Championship. Both teams met in the final of the tournament where the Lions of Khorasan outplayed the Blue Tigers in all departments. 

Two goals by Mustafa Azadzoy and Sandjar Ahmadi were enough to defeat the Indians, who coached by Wim Koevermans.

3. India 2-1 Afghanistan (3 January 2016)

The Blues took revenge for the defeat in the final of the 2013 SAFF Championship by defeating Afghanistan in the final of the 2015 SAFF Championships. Zubayr Amiri gave the visitors a lead in the 70th minute, but Jeje Lalpekhlua equalized two minutes later to ease the Indian football fans’ anxiety. 

The match went into extra-time and that is when Sunil Chhetri scored the winning goal to send the crowd into a frenzy.

2. India 4-0 Afghanistan (11 December 2011)

Blue Tigers have defeated Afghanistan by a 4-0 scoreline twice. The recent-most encounter where the Blue Tigers demolished their opponents was during the 2011 SAFF Championship. Both teams once again met in the final at the JLN Stadium in New Delhi. 

However, the Indian team was in a league of its own and scored four past Afghanistan, courtesy of Sunil Chhetri, Clifford Miranda, Jeje Lalpekhlua, and Sushil Kumar Singh. All of the goals came in the second half which broke Afghanistan’s resolve.

1. India 2-1 Afghanistan (11 June 2022)

The most recent meeting between India and Afghanistan had plenty of ups and downs for both sets of fans. The sides met in Group D of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers (third round). 

In a grueling contest that saw the players from both camps give their utmost at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, Sunil Chhetri gave India the lead in the 86th minute which was quickly erased by Zubayr Amiri’s 88th-minute equalizer. When the tie seemed to be heading for a draw, Sahal Abdul Samad scored the winner in the 91st minute, leading to an eruption of joy in the stadium.

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