India’s top performers from goalless draw against Afghanistan in 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

The Blue Tigers will face Afghanistan again on March 26.

India and Afghanistan faced off in a tense encounter at the Damac Stadium in Abha, Saudi Arabia, during their third FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2 match on March 22, 2024.

Despite numerous attempts from both sides, the match ended in a goalless draw. India’s performance was quite ordinary with plenty of missed passes and a lack of coordination with their teammates. Meanwhile, out of all the negatives, few players did their job perfectly for the Blue Tigers.

Let’s take a look at the top three performers from the game.

3. Rahul Bheke

The Mumbai City defender was put in the position of centre-back due to Sandesh Jhingan’s injury. Bheke maintained a solid defensive structure, limiting Afghanistan’s opportunities to break through India’s defense.

He made crucial challenges during perplexing moments and displayed adept ball distribution skills, contributing to India’s defensive stability. Bheke along with his partner made sure that there were no aerial threats from the Afghan defenders. Bheke’s long-ball distribution also helped his team to construct attacks.

2. Jeakson Singh

Jeakson Singh was expected to start in the midfield alongside Apuia after his came back from injury and stepped into the National team after six months. Jeakson looked sharp down the middle with his measured passes as well as interceptions.

Jeakson effectively protected his defensive line, winning several duels and disrupting Afghanistan’s transitions. He demonstrated proficient ball distribution from his half to the attacking zone, although he struggled to pose a threat during set-piece situations.

1. Lalengmawia Ralte

Apuia partnered Jeakson Singh in the midfield for the Blue Tigers and looked vibrant with his short passing and ball-snatching abilities. Throughout the game, Apuia played an active role in India’s midfield. He effectively applied pressure on the opposing players and skillfully connected the ball from the defensive area to the attackers. Apuia also contributed to creating some promising attacking moves while successfully halting Afghanistan’s counterattacks.

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