In front of a sizeable fan support despite it being an away match, India picked up an important 1-0 victory over Kuwait to start their 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers with a bang. Manvir Singh’s 75th strike getting on the end of Lallianzuala Chhangte’s cross from a delightful pass from left-back Akash Mishra decided the game for the Blue Tigers. Kuwait also ended the game with 10 men after substitute Faisal Zayid Al-Harbi received his second booking for a high-boot challenge on Chhangte in stoppage time. India put themselves in early contention for the top two places in their group with this win which will help them qualify to the third round of World Cup qualifiers for the very first time.
It was a game of few chances and a cagey affair as was between the sides in the SAFF Championship clashes in India earlier this year. The visitors created the better of them although the home side came close to taking the lead from an early free-kick in the second half. However, Chhangte’s arrival in the 64th minute made the difference as his pace and trickery became a constant threat to Kuwait’s defence while he provided the assist for the winning goal. India will now take on group leaders Qatar in their second qualifying game on Tuesday, 21st November 2023 back at home soil in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.
Here are the records set in this 2026 FIFA World Cup AFC Qualifiers Round 2 game:
Away blush
India’s long hoodoo in away games was finally broken in this historical win against Kuwait. The Blue Tigers secured their first victory on the road in FIFA World Cup qualifiers since 2001 which came against Brunei, also a 1-0 win with the goal scored by Jo Paul Ancheri. The 2-0 win over Bangladesh in 2021 also came in an away match of the last edition of the World Cup Qualifiers but it was played in Qatar due to the pandemic situation back then.
Starting with a bang
Igor Stimac’s side also secured an opening match victory in the second round of World Cup qualifiers for the first time since 2004. They defeated Singapore back then once again by a solitary goal scored by Renedy Singh at Fatorda, Goa. The last such win in the qualifiers overall came against fellow SAFF nation Nepal in the first round in 2015.
Happy hunting ground
For the second time, India emerged victorious in their trip to Kuwait with the first one coming in 2004 in a 3-2 thriller. The Blue Tigers had to come from behind twice in the match before finding the winner through Abhishek Yadav in the 75th minute in the international friendly. Jerry Zirsanga also became the youngest goal-scorer in the national team's history in the match.
Time Change
13 years and two days after losing 9-1 to Kuwait in a friendly game in Dubai, team India picked up a deserving 1-0 victory over the same opposition at Kuwait City in the first meeting at the World Cup Qualifiers. Since then, India has not lost in the three following encounters against Kuwait including the victory in SAFF Championship final 2023.
Clean Sheet Whizz
India has now kept 10 clean sheets in 2023 and the first one on foreign soil since 2021. The first one facing opposition outside of South Asia since 2019. This is the first away clean sheet in FIFA Qualifiers for the Blue Tigers since 2019 in the 0-0 draw against Qatar, excluding the game against Bangladesh mentioned above. India also has kept 10 clean sheets in their history of the World Cup Qualifiers.
Triumph
This was the 12th win India claimed in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers and just the second against a Middle Eastern nation. The first one came while facing UAE at the Kanteerava Stadium with Jules Alberto scoring for the 1-0 victory in 2001.
Golden Glove
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu kept his 25th clean sheet for the national team in the win against Kuwait which is a new Indian record. His second in World Cup qualifiers.
