Rahim Ali's Late Strike Earns India 1-1 Draw With Singapore In AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier

AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier: India shared points with Singapore at the AFC Asian Cup 2024 Qualifier after a 1-1 draw in the Group C fixture at the National Stadium in Singapore, on Thursday, October 9.

Ikhsan Fandi scored the lone goal for Singapore just minutes before the end of the first half. Later, Rahim Ali's strike in the dying minutes of the match helped the Blue Tigers share points with Singapore.

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The Blue Tigers were forced to play nearly the entire second half with 10 men after Sandesh Jhingan was sent off in the 47th minute.

The 1-1 draw against Singapore helped Team India to third place in Group C at the moment, with two points from three matches. Bangladesh are scheduled to host Hong Kong later in the day. Now halfway through the qualifiers, the Blue Tigers' fate rests not only on winning all remaining games but also on favourable results from other fixtures.

In their upcoming match of the Qualifiers, India will take on Singapore on October 14 in Goa.

Despite Aggressive Start, India Struggle Against Singapore In First Half

The Blue Tigers had a better start to the game in comparison to Singapore. India were pressing Singapore’s backline with early intent. Their first real opportunity for the Blue Tigers came in the 15th minute when Liston Colaco kept a free-kick into the box, only for Rahul Bheke to glance his header wide of the post. Even after a solid start to the game, India lost momentum as Singapore took full control.

Singapore kept full control in the game over the Blue Tigers, enjoying 63% possession and dictating the tempo. India’s attempts to keep pace faded as their midfield began to retreat deeper.

Singapore made the breakthrough in the stoppage minute of the first half, when Ikhsan Fandi netted the goal after beating India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Singapore went into the break 1-0 up, buoyed by a slick move and a clinical finish.

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Rahim Ali's Last Minute Goal Helps India Share Points With Singapore

Soon after the start of the second half, the Blue Tigers suffered a huge blow as Sandesh Jhingan was shown a red card after receiving a second yellow card for blocking Fandi with a raised arm. After losing one man on the field, the Blue Tigers focused more on their defence as the hosts kept the threat with continuous attack.

The hosts could have sealed the game in the 73rd minute when Fandi broke free on the left. But Sandhu, showing his experience, rushed off his line and pulled off a brave save to keep India in the match.

With Singapore looking to wind down the clock and India running out of ideas, coach Khalid Jamil threw on his final substitutes in a desperate bid for an equaliser. That gamble paid off.

In the 90th minute, Singapore's Jordan Emaviwe made a major mistake as he attempted a back-pass to his goalkeeper. The ball lacked power and direction. Meanwhile, Rahim Ali made no mistake in latching onto the loose ball as Mahbud scrambled to intercept. The Singapore keeper misjudged the weight of the pass, and the ball ricocheted kindly onto the foot of Ali, who slotted into the unguarded net.