The Indian national team line-up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup joint qualification match against Qatar on Thursday did not feature Chennaiyin midfielder Anirudh Thapa.
The key player was absent from the team when Igor Stimac named his starting lineup against the Asian Cup champions on Thursday.
Thapa tested positive for Coronavirus and is under quarantine and observation, Goal can confirm. He was tested on Thursday morning and will be tested again in two days.
Other than Thapa, Mumbai CIty midfielder Rowllin Borges also missed the game due to an injury he picked up during a training session.
Igor Stimac's side are currently placed fourth in Group E with three points from five matches. Qatar top the table with 13 points while Oman are hot on their heels with 12. India are nearly out of contention for the top two spots but a third-place finish is well within the reach of the Blue Tigers. That will help them book a direct berth in the third round for the 2023 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Where to watch or stream India vs Qatar in India
AIFF media
The Star Sports network will be broadcasting the match in India on TV.
| TV channels | Online stream |
|---|---|
| Star Sports 2 SD & HD, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 1 SD & HD (Hindi) | Disney+ Hotstar VIP, JioTV |
Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.
| Bengali TV channels | Telugu TV channels |
|---|---|
| Star Sports 1 Bangla | Star Sports 1 Telugu |
| Tamil TV channels | Kannada TV channels |
|---|---|
| Star Sports 1 Tamil | Star Sports 1 Kannada |
Can India qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
India started their World Cup qualification run with a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Oman at home, followed by a historic goalless draw against Asian champions Qatar in Doha. In their third and fourth matches, the Blue Tigers managed 1-1 draws against both Bangladesh and Afghanistan and then they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Oman away from home.
They resume their campaign against Qatar on June 3, followed by Bangladesh and Afghanistan on June 7 and June 15 respectively.
Currently fourth in Group E with three points from five matches, India does not stand a chance of qualifying for the next round of the World Cup qualifiers but still have a lot to play for in the remaining three fixtures. If India can finish at least in the third position then they will qualify directly for the third round of the Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers.
Here's how India can finish in the third position.
What happens if India finish fourth or fifth?
AIFF
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.
