The Indian men’s football team, under the guidance of new head coach Khalid Jamil, scripted history at the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, co-hosted by Tajikistan and Uzbekistan between August 29 and September 8.
Invited as a late replacement for Malaysia, India not only held their own but emerged with a bronze medal, their first podium finish in a tournament of this magnitude. The crowning moment came in the third-place playoff against Oman, where India ended a 31-year winless streak against the Gulf nation. A hard-fought 1-1 draw was followed by a dramatic penalty shootout, in which goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made two saves to seal a 3-2 victory. This result, India’s only second win over Oman in 11 meetings, marked a symbolic turning point in the Blue Tigers’ regional ambitions.
For India, ranked 127th in the FIFA Rankings (April 2025), the podium finish was both a surprise and a breakthrough. Grouped in Group B with Tajikistan (104), Iran (18), and Afghanistan (160), India were not expected to progress. Yet, they defied the odds, beginning with a famous win over hosts Tajikistan, surviving Iran’s attacking waves, and grinding out a crucial point against Afghanistan to reach the playoff. The bronze was more than just a medal. It provided invaluable exposure against strong Central Asian opposition and injected belief ahead of the Asian Cup qualifiers.
Defender Anwar Ali summed it up aptly: “This was a valuable opportunity to test ourselves against strong teams. We now know where we stand and what we must improve.”
Khalid Jamil’s appointment as India coach brought curiosity and skepticism in equal measure. A proven tactician in the Indian Super League, Jamil built his reputation on compact defenses and fearless pressing. At CAFA, he stayed true to that philosophy, shaping a squad that combined discipline with resilience. India’s structure revolved around a high press in midfield, a compact low block when defending, and reliance on long throws and counters in attack. Despite the absence of injured stalwart Sandesh Jhingan, Jamil’s defensive system remained sturdy, marshalled by Anwar Ali, Rahul Bheke, and the ever-reliable Gurpreet in goal.
The tournament revealed both promise and limitations. While Jamil instilled belief and organization, India’s lack of a clinical striker was glaring. Still, his pragmatic blueprint delivered results against higher-ranked opponents.
Match-by-Match Journey
Match 1: India 2-1 Tajikistan (Group B, August 29, Dushanbe)
India stunned the hosts with a well-drilled performance. Holding about 40% possession, the Blue Tigers struck twice on swift counters, capitalising on Tajik errors. Ashique Kuruniyan’s pressing and Mahesh Singh’s energy unsettled the Tajik backline, while Anwar Ali and Bheke were rock solid at the back. Gurpreet made crucial saves to deny the hosts a way back. Tajikistan pulled one back late, but India held firm for a famous 2-1 win – their first on Tajik soil in 17 years.
The victory set the tone for the campaign and proved that Jamil’s India could punch above their weight.
Match 2: India 0-3 Iran (Group B, September 2, Tashkent)
Facing Asia’s 18th-ranked side was always going to be a test. Iran dominated possession from the outset, exposing India’s aerial weaknesses and pulling the defense apart with quick rotations. Goals from Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Ali Alipour, and Mehdi Taremi underlined the gulf in quality. Despite the defeat, Gurpreet’s saves and India’s attempts to maintain structure prevented a heavier scoreline.
Iran exploited defensive gaps ruthlessly, but the match provided India with a sobering reminder of the levels required to compete consistently in Asia.
Match 3: India 0-0 Afghanistan (Group B, September 4, Hisor)
A must-not-lose game to stay alive in the group, India approached Afghanistan cautiously. With slightly higher possession, they created half-chances through Irfan Yadwad and Jithin MS, but finishing let them down. Afghanistan threatened through Yama Sherzad, whose effort in the 71st minute forced Gurpreet into a fingertip save onto the crossbar. Substitutes Manvir and Vikram Pratap added urgency but no goals came.
The goalless draw, however, was enough for India to progress, courtesy of their head-to-head edge over Tajikistan.
Match 4: India 1-1 Oman (3-2 Penalties, Third-Place Playoff, September 8, Hisor)
The bronze medal clash carried history. India hadn’t beaten Oman since 1994, losing seven and drawing three since. The pattern seemed set to continue when Jameel Al Yahmadi put Oman ahead in the 55th minute. But India rallied. In the 80th minute, Rahul Bheke’s long throw caused chaos, Danish Farooq flicked it on, and Udanta Singh, freshly introduced, dived to head home the equaliser. The game dragged into extra time, where Oman went down to ten men but still resisted India’s pressure.
Penalties followed. Chhangte and Bheke converted early, while Oman faltered with two misses. Jithin MS showed composure to score, but Anwar Ali and Udanta failed to convert. With Oman’s Yahmadi stepping up to extend the contest, Gurpreet guessed right, diving low to make the decisive save.
India had their bronze, and history was rewritten.
CAFA Nations Cup 2025 by the Numbers
- Goals scored: 3 (2 vs Tajikistan, 1 vs Oman)
- Goals conceded: 5 (3 vs Iran, 1 each vs Tajikistan & Oman)
- Clean sheets: 1 (vs Afghanistan)
- Possession: Averaged ~45%, reflecting a counter-attacking style
- Set-pieces: Heavy reliance on long throws; limited threat from corners
- Saves: Gurpreet made ~10–12 crucial stops, including two in the shootout
The CAFA campaign cemented Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s status as India’s cornerstone. His penalty saves against Oman will be replayed for years, while his leadership steadied a young defensive line.
Ashique Kuruniyan impressed with relentless pressing, while Udanta Singh justified his substitution with the equaliser in the playoff. Emerging names like Jithin MS and Vikram Pratap Singh gained experience against seasoned opponents. Yet, the attacking problem persisted. India scored just three goals in four matches, relying more on set-piece improvisation than open-play creativity. Missed chances by Yadwad, Jithin, and Irfan against Afghanistan highlighted the need for a prolific striker. Without solving this, India risk stagnation despite defensive improvement.
Indian fans on X captured the mixed emotions perfectly. Some lamented: “We can’t seem to find the net,” while others hailed the bronze as a “proud moment for Indian football.” The official Indian Football account framed it as a “debut to remember” under Khalid Jamil, celebrating the resilience of a team that entered as outsiders and left with silverware.
The CAFA Nations Cup 2025 will not dramatically alter India’s FIFA ranking though wins over Tajikistan (104) and Oman (79) could bring modest gains. But the psychological boost is priceless. For Jamil, the challenge now is evolution. His defensive solidity gives India a platform, but integrating more creative midfielders and fostering finishing ability will be crucial. Domestic leagues must prioritise striker development, perhaps even naturalised options, to plug the glaring hole in attack.
As India prepare for the Asian Cup qualifiers, the lessons from CAFA are clear: this team can frustrate higher-ranked opponents, but must learn to convert chances. The bronze medal is not the destination, but a springboard.
India’s third-place finish at the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 will be remembered as a milestone – not just for the result, but for the resilience, tactical discipline, and moments of brilliance that carried them there. Khalid Jamil’s tenure began with belief, Gurpreet stood tall as the guardian, and the team showed they could rise to the occasion. The Blue Tigers still have shortcomings, particularly in front of goal, but the foundation is stronger than before. This breakthrough in Central Asia may just be the beginning of a new chapter – one where Indian football finally dares to dream bigger.
