A protracted throw-in, a goalmouth scramble and a scrappy aim headed in by a defender. The Khalid Jamil period of Indian soccer began out in attribute trend.
But it surely received higher a couple of minutes later as one other defender tapped a unfastened ball dwelling to offer India a two-goal lead of their CAFA Cup opener towards hosts Tajikistan.
Over the course of the remainder of the match, India resisted wave after wave of assaults, let in a aim, conceded a penalty that goalkeeper and captain Gurpreet Singh Sandhu saved, headed, kicked and willed the ball clear and completed on the suitable aspect of a 2-1 scoreline.
They don’t name him the wall for no motive 🧱😌@GurpreetGK 🧤#TJKIND #CAFANationsCup2025 #BlueTigers #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/x9Wu3CkuLc
— Indian Soccer Staff (@IndianFootball) August 29, 2025
Indian soccer has not made information for the suitable causes of late. Stability and solidity have been virtually absent from almost each part of the game within the nation. However it’s with these two phrases that one might describe how the Indian staff fared for a lot of their first match underneath Jamil towards an opponent positioned 27 spots above them within the FIFA rankings.
Jamil grew to become the second Indian coach to win his first match in cost since Sukhwinder SIngh in 2001. His imprint might be seen within the staff sheet itself – Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was again in aim after being dropped from the final two worldwide camps underneath Manolo Marquez, carrying the captain’s armband.
The primary aim underneath Jamil got here within the fifth minute after some poor goalkeeping from Tajikistan’s Muhurrid Hasanov. He first made a hash of a reasonably innocent cross from Aashique Kuruniyan after which did not clear the ensuing nook successfully, conceding a throw-in. India full-back Muhammed Uvais unleashed an extended throw-in that precipitated every kind of chaos within the field. Hasanov tried to palm the ball away, Anwar Ali jumped excessive to win the header, which was deflected in.
Lower than 10 minutes later, Anwar turned creator. He despatched in a cross from the suitable, Rahul Bheke received on the finish of it with a header and Hasanov first saved from point-blank vary. Nevertheless, it solely spilled kindly for Jhingan, who discovered the empty internet.
The stability of play shifted the opposite manner after that although, with the primary shot in the direction of Sandhu a wayward one across the 14-minute mark from outdoors the field. The stress lastly bore fruit for the hosts within the twenty third minute.
What a begin to the Khalid Jamil period 🔥#TJKIND #CAFANationsCup2025 #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/wIzT36meb9
— FanCode (@FanCode) August 29, 2025
Suresh Singh Wangjam was rotated by Ehsoni Panshanbe, who then performed a bit of one-two with Sheriddin Boboev earlier than organising striker Shahrom Samiev, who made no mistake.
Story continues beneath this advert
Then got here a interval of stress from Tajikistan, and thus an opportunity for Indian followers to most likely discover what Jamil has labored on with this group of gamers within the few coaching classes he received. India largely maintained two neat strains of 4 in entrance of Sandhu and stored resisting wave after wave of Tajik assaults. Jamil was prowling the touchline the entire time, barking orders at his wards.
India’s defensive resolve
Tajikistan had extra of the ball and the sport was performed nearly solely in Indian territory after the primary half an hour of the match, however the Indians stayed tight. Bheke and the sensible Uvais nullified any makes an attempt to assault from the wings and if the crosses did are available in, Sandesh Jhingan and Anwar, most of the time, stored them out.
Within the second half, the hosts got here out firing and Sandhu needed to make a few large saves within the opening minutes. There was additionally a detailed shave within the 51st minute, with defender Zoir Dzhuraboev’s header going simply huge.
The referee pointed to the penalty spot after Tajikistan’s Rustam Soirov went down fairly dramatically after the softest of touches from Vikram Pratap Singh contained in the field. Gurpreet went to his proper and saved Soirov’s effort together with his ft.
Story continues beneath this advert
Extra waves got here and the Indians defended with all the pieces that they had. There was a spirit which had gone lacking in Indian soccer in latest months.