Afghanistan went down 1-2 to Oman in a 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup joint qualification match at the at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.
This means that India are now placed third in Group E with six points from seven matches, a point above Afghanistan.
Igor Stimac's men now just need to avoid defeat against Afghanistan to finish third in the group and directly qualify to the third of the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers. If the Blue Tigers win their tie then as a bonus they will finish the group stage with a positive goal difference only the third time in history.
Contents
- Group E standings?
- What happens if India finish fourth or fifth?
- What next for the Indian national team?
Group E Standings
| Team | Matches | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 | +17 | 22 |
| Oman | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 15 |
| India | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 6 |
| Afghanistan | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 14 | -10 | 5 |
| Bangladesh | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 16 | -13 | 2 |
Here's how India can finish in the third position.
What happens if India finish fourth or fifth?
AIFF Media
If India finish fourth then also they can qualify for the Asian Cup qualifying third round if they finish amongst the four best fourth-placed teams across all groups. The remaining four fourth-placed teams will advance to the Asian Cup qualifying play-off round.
If India finish fifth in the table, then they will have to participate in the Asian Cup Qualifying play-off round.
What next for the Indian national team?
India are set to take on Afghanistan next on Tuesday, June 15 in their final match of the group stage. India's target will now be to finish third in Group E and avoid a play-off to get into the Asian Cup qualifiers.
QFA Media