CAFA Nations Cup: India defeat Tajikistan 2-1

Guwahati: India secured a historic 2-1 victory over Tajikistan at the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 on Friday, with goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu delivering a standout performance, including a crucial penalty save that helped seal the win.

This marked India's first win over Tajikistan in 17 years and their first victory in any competition since March.

Despite the absence of veteran striker Sunil Chhetri, India started strong and held off sustained pressure from the hosts. Chhetri, who had briefly come out of retirement during the previous coach Manolo Márquez’s tenure, did not feature in the squad.

Current head coach Khalid Jamil clarified that Chhetri was excluded because the CAFA Cup does not impact qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

India fielded a largely full-strength squad, although Mohun Bagan Super Giant did not release their players for the tournament. Jamil’s challenge now lies in finding consistent attacking options in Chhetri’s absence, with Irfan Yadwad emerging as a promising candidate.

In the match, India dominated early on and entered half-time with a 2-1 lead. Tajikistan pushed aggressively in the second half, testing India’s defense with relentless attacks.

However, Gurpreet remained resolute in goal, denying multiple chances, including a potentially match-altering penalty in the 72nd minute.

As Tajikistan ramped up the pressure in the closing stages, India held firm. Gurpreet’s leadership and reflexes proved decisive as he made critical saves in stoppage time to protect the lead.

Despite late chances for Tajikistan, including a shocking miss in the dying minutes, India held on to claim a hard-fought win. The final whistle confirmed a much-needed morale boost for the Blue Tigers, who now look to build momentum in the tournament.