Three positives and two negatives from India's AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign

India narrowly missed out on making their first-ever AFC U23 Asian Cup appearance.

The Indian U23 team almost pulled off a historic maiden qualification to the AFC U23 Asian Cup, but the fine margins shattered the dreams. The Blue Colts finished as runners-up in Group H, just behind the group toppers Qatar. Among the second-placed teams, India ended up finishing fifth, whereas only the top four second-placed teams qualified for the tournament.

This was the closest India came to making it to the AFC U23 Asian Cup. It was an impressive campaign for Naushad Moosa’s boys, but unfortunately was not enough to secure their qualification. India started on a victorious note against Bahrain with a dominant 2-0 victory. The Blue Colts continued this form against Qatar but controversial calls prevented them from bagging another three points.

India U23 team narrowly missed out on the spot for the AFC U23 Asian Cup after coming agonizingly close!They finished fifth in the table of the best second-ranked teams, just below the UAE, who edged past on a better goal difference!#IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/Hv7HKUPl1r

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) September 10, 2025

The disappointing result against Qatar proved to be the difference. In the last qualifying fixture, India had to win by a double-digit margin, but they could manage to score only six goals, which resulted in their poorer goal difference as compared to the UAE, who finished fourth among the second-placed teams.

In this article, we will look back at India’s campaign in the AFC U23 Asian Cup and analyze the positives to build upon and the negatives to address.

Also Read: Seven India U23 stars who merit a spot in senior team camp for AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in October

Positives

Fearless India

The biggest positive for India from the qualifiers would be the approach they played with. The Blue Colts looked like they belonged to this level, contrary to other teams in the past. India played with authority and expressed themselves, rather than just competing with the best in Asia.

The youngsters did not back down against sturdy West Asian sides like Qatar and Bahrain. Naushad Moosa’s boys fought hard and gave them a tough time. It was the technical ability that helped India put their opposition under pressure and make them commit errors.

Attacking Prowess

This Indian U23 team operated differently from its predecessors. The Blue Colts played with freedom, and the most striking aspect of their gameplay was the incredible attacking prowess. Right from the first match, it was visible that India had a bunch of players who could trouble the opposition’s defence.

The likes of Suhail, Sanan, Aimen, and Macarton Louis Nickson spearheaded India’s attack. These players made sure that India produced a spectacle for the fans. The movement on the wings was a treat to watch, and the precision with which India attacked was immaculate.

Resilient Defensive Display

When the group stage draws were released, Indian fans were wondering how India would counter the challenge of West Asian sides. With strong physical dominance on the pitch, the West Asian sides like Qatar have always troubled India. The Indian teams in the past have struggled to contain these teams due to their physicality and technically sound gameplay.

However, it was a different case this time around. The defensive unit led by India’s skipper Bikash Yumnam forced their opponents to bring their best if they had to breeze past India, which they could not most of the time. It was not the defensive resolve alone that shone, but the ability to dictate the play with the ball was also commendable.

Negatives

Poor conversion

One of the downsides of India’s campaign in the qualifiers was the lack of conversion in terms of goals. The Indian forwards made a plethora of attacks but missed out on converting those chances in numbers. This especially backfired in the game against Brunei.

In the last qualifying fixture against Brunei, India were required to win by a huge margin, and for that, they had to score in double digits. The Naushad Moosa-led side took more than twenty shots, but the poor conversion restricted them to only six goals, which led to their eventual elimination. The absence of a traditional No.9 was one of the primary reasons India’s goal-scoring suffered.

Lack of composure

Another area where India would have liked to improve was their composure in pressure situations. In the game against Qatar, the Indian players were rushing to make an instant impact. Particularly in the first half, it was evident that India were trying to do a lot but without the required calm.

The Blue Colts had more time on the ball than they thought. A bit of composure in the midfield would have helped India dictate the play. The Qatar game could have ended on a different note had India been more careful with the passes they made.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.