India national team defender Anwar Ali is determined to finish the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 on a high as the Blue Tigers prepare to face Oman in the third-place playoff at the Hisor Central Stadium in Tajikistan on Monday.

The Blue Tigers finished second in Group B with four points from three matches, behind IR Iran, and qualified for the third-place playoff thanks to a better head-to-head record against hosts Tajikistan.

Oman, meanwhile, are unbeaten in the tournament and ranked 79th in the FIFA standings. They topped their group stage with seven points from three matches but settled for second place due to goal difference.

Anwar Ali wanted to see this Oman game as a preparatory game ahead of their crucial match against Singapore in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers in October. He urged his teammates to give their all on the pitch and secure third place in their maiden CAFA Nations Cup campaign.

“An international game is an international game, so when you get one extra match, it just gives you more time and more confidence, every time you play at this level,” Ali said to aiff.com.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for us to prepare for the Asian Cup qualifiers. We will give it our best on Monday and try to get that third place,” he added.

Defender Sandesh Jhingan was ruled out of the CAFA Nations Cup after suffering a jaw injury in the game against Iran. Jhingan had been a key figure in the Blue Tigers’ backline, but in his absence, Rahul Bheke and Ali stepped up to fill the void, with the East Bengal FC centre-back eventually winning the Player of the Match award against Afghanistan.

Ali admitted that Jhingan’s absence would be a big factor for India ahead of the Oman game. However, he remained calm, determined to carry forward his form and help deliver a strong collective performance to finish the tournament as the third-best team.

“He (Jhingan) is obviously a big miss for us, but that’s how things are in football. We hope he’ll be back soon, but till then, the rest of us have to keep performing our roles and keep filling in his boots,” he said.

“I was happy that we could get the result in the last game and that my performance earned me Player of the Match. But, at the end of the day, it was all about teamwork,” he concluded.

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