India U23 vs Qatar U23: India's brilliance, Suhail again on target, appalling refereeing, and other talking points

India lost to Qatar 2-1 on Saturday despite an impressive display.

Indian U23 football team conceded a tragic defeat against Qatar on Saturday in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers. The match ended 2-1, a score line that has not gone down well with fans. After this loss, the Blue Colts are still in second position in Group H, but their bid to qualify for the AFC U23 Asian Cup has taken a hit.

The match could have been one to remember for years had it not been for questionable refereeing. The Group H encounter was equally contested by both sides, but the score line tilted in Qatar’s favour in the last thirty minutes. In this article, we will analyse the major talking points from the India vs Qatar game in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Also Read: India U23 fall short against Qatar in Group H clash of AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers

Captivating brilliance of Blue Colts

Following the dominant victory against Bahrain, there was one question that was central to this discussion. “Can India do this against Qatar?”. The boys answered, and how. The Blue Colts, in a remarkable performance, showed that they are not here only to compete but to win.

The Blue Colts’ intent to go for the win did not die down after they were down to 10 men in the 66th minute. The visitors played the majority of the second half, constrained by an undeserving red card to Pramveer. But that did not dampen the spirits as India’s young guns kept pushing for the equaliser.

The fans could not witness the equaliser, but whatever they witnessed throughout the 90 minutes would make them proud of the effort. India made the hosts sweat and run for the money.

Controversial referring

What could have been a thriller of an encounter was reduced to a demonstration of subpar refereeing. This is arguably the biggest talking point from the game, as it changed the complexion of the match.

The game was approaching a blockbuster finish with both teams pushing for the winner in the last half hour, when the referee awarded a penalty to Qatar after a soft contact between Pramveer and Qatar’s Noureldin Ibrahim in the box.

How is this penalty 🤕🙏Spoiled the beautiful game#IndianFootball #QATIND #AFCU23 pic.twitter.com/YewZMtFaCw

— Abdul Rahman Mashood (@abdulrahmanmash) September 6, 2025

By no means was that a penalty and a red card to the Indian centre-back. The disappointment was evident in the Indian camp as that decision gave Qatar an unfair advantage.

Not just this call, but there were several other instances where contested calls went in favour of the hosts. Unfortunately, this match would be remembered for the horrible refereeing, snatching a deserved point from the Blue Colts.

Suhail is here to stay

Muhammed Suhail is making it a habit to turn up on big occasions for India with something majestic. The 18-year-old youngster followed his match-winning performance against Bahrain with yet another incredible outing. He struggled in the beginning to counter the Qatar left-back but never backed off from the fight.

His persistence ultimately paid off in the 52nd minute when he headed home to find the much-awaited equaliser. His menacing run on the right wing before a sudden movement in the box to stun the opposition defenders gave Qatar no chance to respond.

The performance against Bahrain was a statement that Suhail is capable of taking on the best in Asia, but his exquisite exhibition against Qatar proved that he is not just capable of taking on but knocking down the opposition.

India’s defensive resilience

Regardless of the results, the credit must be given to India to keep things tight for Qatar. The backline of Ricky Meetei, Pramveer, Bikash Yumnam and Harsh Palande did not allow too many clear-cut chances to the hosts. Indeed, there was a mistake from Pramveer, but on any other day and with another referee, that could have been overlooked.

A huge contribution was made by Sahil Poonia between the sticks and Lalremtluanga Fanai in the midfield. The young keeper was solid throughout the match with some impressive saves. He could not keep a clean sheet, but it took Qatar a fortuitous header and a penalty kick to beat him. Whereas Fanai was exceptional as a deep-lying midfielder. He was at the forefront, making interceptions and tackles in the centre of the park.

Dent for India’s chances

This devastating defeat against Qatar has made the permutations and combinations complex for India. To qualify for the tournament, a team should either secure the top spot in their group or finish among the four best second-placed teams.

The Blue Colts are currently second in Group H with three points in two games. Bahrain also have a similar record, but the head-to-head record has kept India ahead. Among the eleven second-placed teams in the qualifiers, India are tenth. For the Blue Colts to qualify, they will have to win against Brunei by a huge margin and hope the results in other groups go their way.

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