AFC Asian Cup qualifiers: India host Singapore in a must-win clash

The Indian men’s national team will take on Singapore in the reverse fixture in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign on Tuesday in a high-stakes clash at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa.

The Blue Tigers put in a spirited second-half shift in Singapore after going down to ten men, salvaging a draw thanks to Rahim Ali’s late equaliser. With that, Khalid Jamil’s men are still winless in the qualifying campaign, as they sit third in the Group C standings with two points from three games, behind Hong Kong and Singapore.

Following the draw against Singapore in the away fixture, India’s chances of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup have taken a complex turn; they must win all three remaining matches. Besides that, they will need other results to go in their favour.

Head-to-Head record

Matches Played: 28

India won: 12

Singapore won: 11

Draw: 5

Gearing up for the next clash ⚔️#BlueTigers #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/KjnBjVI5cu
— Indian Football (@IndianFootball) October 11, 2025

With India’s qualification hopes hanging by a thread, following their draw and Hong Kong’s win over Bangladesh last week, Jamil will be desperate to see a response from his side in the crucial home fixture.

The Blue Tigers need to lift their performance and return to winning ways to stay in contention, particularly by showing more intent in the opposition half. They lacked sharpness and conviction in the final third during the away game, but this time, Jamil will expect his men to play with greater courage and purpose going forward.

What the coaches said

Head coach Khalid Jamil had words of praise for his players who secured a resilient draw in the away fixture. Despite Sandesh Jhingan’s red card, which reduced them to ten men, the Blue Tigers showcased their character and fought valiantly against the Lions.

Now, ahead of the next tie, head coach Jamil has urged his players to step up and admitted that they would now adopt a more attacking approach with the intent to secure all three points.

"It's an important game. We're playing on our home ground. We must think positively and try to get a positive result," Jamil said in the pre-match press conference.

"We must continue with how we played with ten men in the last game. But this time, we'll have one more player (11v11). Since we're playing on the home ground, it'll be very good for us to start with an attacking mode," he added.

Singapore’s interim head coach, Gavin Lee, doesn’t want his team to feel any added pressure while playing away from home. He remains optimistic about their performance and is determined to get their hands on three points.

"We often try to approach one game at a time. The last game is done, it's over. The equation has changed a little bit," he said.

"The only difference is that we're not at home; that's a slight advantage to India. We'll go head down, do our best and try to get the three points home," Lee further added.