What happened in India’s last outing against Tajikistan?
Anwar Ali and Sandesh Jhingan’s strikes powered India to a 2-1 victory over Tajikistan.
The Indian national football team is all set to square off against Tajikistan in back-to-back international friendlies scheduled for June 5 and 9 in Hisor.
The Blue Tigers are currently going through a poor run with a disappointing AFC Asian Cup qualifiers campaign, followed by successive defeats in the Unity Cup. Under the guidance of Khalid Jamil, the team will be aiming to get back on winning ways against the Tajikistan side.
Khalid Jamil’s squad won two of their six meetings against the Persian Lions while suffering three defeats, and a game ended on level terms.
As the Blue Tigers continue to prepare for the friendly fixtures, we take a look back at what happened when India last played against the Tajikistan national team.
Jamil’s debut as India head coach
Following Manolo Marquez’s departure from the head coach role, Khalid Jamil was appointed to take over the charges. The Indian head coach had ample challenges at the beginning, but the team responded well to give him a memorable debut at the national team hot seat.
The Blue Tigers secured a 2-1 victory against Tajikistan in their first match of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025. Participating in the eight-nation tournament for the first time, India recorded a third-place finish by beating Oman on penalties.
Read more: Ryan Williams to miss Indian football team’s twin friendlies against Tajikistan
The Blue Tigers edge out Tajikistan in Hisor
Blue Tigers secured their first competitive victory against Tajikistan since November 2023, as they won by a 2-1 scoreline, courtesy of Anwar Ali and Sandesh Jhingan’s first-half strikes.
It was also the first time in exactly a decade that Khalid Jamil had won his first match in charge of the Blue Tigers dugout.
The Blue Tigers dominated the proceedings from the onset, resulting in a two-goal lead within 13 minutes. However, the hosts pulled one goal back, with Shahrom Samiev finding the back of the net in the 23rd minute.
Both teams had their chances in the latter half, but it was Jamil’s side that held their nerves and displayed a solid defensive performance to record a crucial win on the road.
With both sides all set to lock horns once again within almost a year, the situation has been quite different in the Blue Tigers’ camp. With struggling performances and disappointing results in their recent outings, Jamil will urge nothing but a standout victory against the team against which he kicked off his head coach stint at the Indian national team.
When did India last play against Tajikistan?
India played Tajikistan in the opening match of the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup on August 29.
What was the result?
India defeated Tajikistan by a 2-1 scoreline.
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Shibashis is a sports journalist with over three years of experience covering Indian football. His work spans reporting, writing, and editing, with a strong focus on telling stories from across the Indian football landscape. Passionate about both Indian and European football, he continues to build his career by combining sharp reporting with a deep love for the game.