Top three Indian players who made their mark in disappointing stalemate against Afghanistan in CAFA Nations Cup

India finished the group stage in second place.

The Indian football team ended their group stage campaign in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 with a draw against Afghanistan. It is an anticlimactic result after hitting the road in fashion with a historic win against Tajikistan and an impressive defensive display against Iran.

After the three-match group stage, the Blue Tigers have four points with a win, a draw, and a loss. These four points have secured the second place for India in Group B. The Blue Tigers are tied with Tajikistan in points, but a better head-to-head tilt the odds in favour of the first-time participants in the CAFA Nations Cup.

The second-place finish will see India playing the third-place against the runners-up of Group A. In this article, we will look at the top three individual performances in an otherwise lousy team outing.

Also Read: India vs Afghanistan player ratings: Valpuia, Gurpreet impress, Irfan, Ashique put up disappointing show

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

India’s custodian stood tall once again. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu kept his second clean sheet of the tournament against Afghanistan. The Bengaluru FC goalkeeper has looked flawless since his return to the national team. This was the third consecutive match in which Gurpreet has emerged as one of the best performers for the Khalid Jamil-led side.

The highlight of Gurpreet’s game against was his impeccable decision-making in set-piece situations. The experienced goalkeeper showed incredible composure in times of chaos. Another key component of his impressive performance was the distribution. The 33-year-old distributed the ball to great effect, executing Khalid Jamil’s plans of bringing aerial verticality into India’s gameplay.

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Valpuia

One of the biggest positives for the Blue Tigers from the last group stage game was Valpuia’s brilliance in the right-back position. He replaced Rahul Bheke, who played as centre-back, in that role and made the opportunity count. The young Mumbai City right-back proved that he has the quality to be a regular starter on the international stage.

It was only the second proper start for Valpuia in national colours, but he played as if he were an experienced campaigner. The Mizoram-born had early jitters, but he settled in his role as the match progressed. Valpuia was defensively resolute and brilliant with the ball as well. He made some tough challenges, showing his ability to overpower the opponent.

Also Read: Afghanistan vs India: Wasted chances, Gurpreet’s resurgence and other talking points

Anwar Ali

Anwar Ali was adjudged the man of the match against Afghanistan. The young centre-back exhibited why he has been a constant part of the playing XI throughout the tournament. Anwar was impregnable in defence and continued his good run in international football with a changed partner in Rahul Bheke.

The East Bengal centre-back looked confident with the ball as ever. He was trying to catch the Afghanistan defense off guard with long balls and diagonals across the pitch. This plan did create some chances; however, the lack of prowess in the attack did not result in any significant threat to the opposition.

Khalid Jamil would be taking note of Anwar’s consistent and impactful contributions to the team ahead of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

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