Qatar has given India a reality check with a convincing 3-0 win in a FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
Moustafa Tarek Mashal, Almoez Ali and substitute Yousuf Abdurisag scored for the visitors while India's ten-game unbeaten run at home ended.
A week ago, India were sharp in their Group A opener against Kuwait, winning 1-0. But Qatar were always going to be a different and difficult test.
When Moustafa Tarek Mashal scored from a melee in the box in the 4th minute, it seemed like the Qataris would have another field day. Qatar had hammered Afghanistan 8-1 last week.
While the visitors were entertaining, validating their ranking of 61 as opposed to India's 101, they were quite wasteful in the first half. Amrinder Singh, the surprise inclusion in goal, in place of Gurpreet, invited pressure on himself on a couple of occasions with poor clearances.
Akram Afif, a former Asian Footballer of the Year, found himself in space repeatedly, either flicked on by a teammate on the overlap or slipping into the box for a pull back. Anyway, he failed to capitalise. Almoez Ali complained that his strike was clean, but it was flagged offside.
India had started nervously, giving rather too much respect for their guests, who hosted and played in the most recent World Cup. But after going behind by a goal and almost conceding two more, Igor Stimac's India showed the courage to take on Qatar.
Anirudh Thapa, who replaced Sahal Abdul Samad in the XI, had the biggest chance for an equaliser, when he was presented with a one-on-one after a giveaway. But an ambitious outside-the-foot shot dragged wide. The playmaker had dragged back for Apuia a little ago, but his midfield partner also failed to hit the target. Chhangte seemed like the best outlet for India.
The momentum India built toward the end of the first half was forgotten in a flash as Qatar made it 2-0 shortly after the second half began. Afif was denied by Amrinder after the attacker volleyed a lob from deep. But the Indian goalkeeper spilled it and Almoez couldn't miss from just a few yards out.
India were not quite as enterprising in the second half, but there were moments to be taken. Sahal, who came in for Thapa, dragged a left-foot shot wide when he was one-on-one with Barsham in the Qatar goal. Suresh had found Sahal drifting into space, but that was the best India could manage in the second half.
Carlos Queiroz probably wanted his team to gear down for the remainder of the match as they led 2-0, but their substitutes were eager and Mohammed Waad crossed for Abdurisag for a composed near post header.
