India at the AFC Asian Cup

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Since the AFC Asian Cup was founded in 1956, India has qualified for five Asian Cups, in 1964, 1984, 2011, 2019 and 2023. [1]

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The team played their first Asian Cup in 1964. It was India's best finish in the continental competition which came 55 years ago when they finished runners-up. [2] [3] In 1964, India gained a direct qualification to the finals of the tournament after several Western Zone teams pulled out due to the participation of Israel. 14 years after the country missed out on FIFA World Cup participation, the India national team had earned the opportunity to take centre stage in Asian football under English coach Harry Wright. Played in a round-robin format, the 1964 edition of the Asian Cup was won by hosts Israel but it had only four participants - one team from each zone. And with wins over South Korea and Hong Kong, India cemented second place. Inder Singh became team's top scorer with two goals. [2] [3] [4]

The team had to wait 20 years to qualify for the finals again. [5] Once they did qualify, a group stage disaster awaited the Men in Blue. [2] The 10 participants were divided into two groups of five and India were placed in Group B alongside China PR, Iran, UAE and hosts Singapore. India lost three games and held Iran to a goalless draw to come away with a just a point in 1984. Saudi Arabia clinched their first Asian title, defeating China PR in the final. The legendary Krishanu Dey was part of Serbian coach Milovan Ćirić's India national team that battled it out with heavyweights like China PR and Iran. [2] [6] [7]

India against Thailand at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. India vs Thailand 2019 AFC Asian Cup GA.jpg
India against Thailand at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

The 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar marked India's third continental campaign. The Blues qualified on the virtue of being the winners of the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup. [2] A Sunil Chhetri hat-trick and a goal by Bhaichung Bhutia helped hosts India defeat Tajikistan in the final of the Challenge Cup and qualify for the Asian Cup for the first time in 27 years. Drawn into Group C from Pot 4, the Blues lost all three of their group games to get dumped out of the tournament without any points on the board. Tim Cahill's brace helped Australia register a 4–0 win against India in the group opener. Gouramangi Singh and Chhetri scored in either half as India lost 2–5 to Bahrain and Chhetri's first-half spot-kick was the team's only consolation as South Korea thrashed them 1–4 in the final game in Group C. [2] [8]

Eight years later, India national team qualified and was set to travel to UAE for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup under head coach Stephen Constantine. [2] [9] The team won their opening match against Thailand with the help of Sunil Chhetri's brace and broke the 55 years winless drought. However, India lost two remaining matches and crashed out from the group stage for the third consecutive participation.

India qualified for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup by topping their group in the third round of qualifiers [10] by winning all 3 of their games against Afghanistan, Hong Kong & Cambodia. This was first time India qualified in back-to-back Asian Cups. [11] In the tournament, India lost all 3 matches, ending their campaign. This was also the first time in India's history they ended their Asian Cup Campaign without a point or a goal. [12]

Record

AFC Asian Cup record AFC Asian Cup qualification record
Host/YearResultPositionPldWDLGFGASquadPldWDLGFGA
Flag of Hong Kong 1876.svg 1956 Did not enterDid not enter
Flag of South Korea.svg 1960 Did not qualify620479
Flag of Israel.svg 1964 Runners-up2nd320153 Squad Bye
State Flag of Iran (1964).svg 1968 Did not qualify301226
Flag of Thailand.svg 1972
to
Flag of Kuwait.svg 1980
Did not enterDid not enter
Flag of Singapore.svg 1984 Group stage10th401307 Squad 430182
Flag of Qatar.svg 1988
to
Flag of Indonesia.svg Flag of Malaysia.svg Flag of Thailand.svg Flag of Vietnam.svg 2007
Did not qualify2124151757
Flag of Qatar.svg 2011 Group stage 16th3003313 Squad 2008 AFC Challenge Cup winners
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2015 Did not qualifyFailed to win 2012 & did not qualify for 2014 AFC Challenge Cup
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg 2019 Group stage 17th310244 Squad 188282524
Flag of Qatar.svg 2023 Group stage 24th300306 Squad 11443148
TotalsRunners-up5/1716311212336319113373106

1964 AFC Asian Cup

A poster advertising India vs Israel match on 29 May 1964, at 4 pm, at Bloomfield stadium in Jaffa, Israel Poster of 1964 AsianCup match IndiavsIsrael.png
A poster advertising India vs Israel match on 29 May 1964, at 4 pm, at Bloomfield stadium in Jaffa, Israel

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Israel.svg  Israel (H)330051+46Champions
2Flag of India.svg  India 320153+24Runners-up
3Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg  South Korea 31022422Third place
4Flag of Hong Kong 1959.svg  Hong Kong 30031540Fourth place
Source: RSSSF
(H) Hosts
South Korea  Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg0–2Flag of India.svg  India
Appalaraju Soccerball shade.svg2'
I. Singh Soccerball shade.svg57'
Municipal Stadium, Haifa
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Davoud Nassiri (Iran)

Israel  Flag of Israel.svg2–0Flag of India.svg  India
Spiegler Soccerball shade.svg29' (pen.)
Yohai Aharoni Soccerball shade.svg76'
Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Li Pak Tung (Malaysia)

India  Flag of India.svg3–1Flag of Hong Kong 1959.svg  Hong Kong
I. Singh Soccerball shade.svg45'
Samajpati Soccerball shade.svg60'
Goswami Soccerball shade.svg77'
Cheung Yiu Kwok Soccerball shade.svg39'
Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Patrick Nice (Malaysia)

1984 AFC Asian Cup

Group B

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 4301102+86
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran 422061+56
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 420238−54
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 411234−13
Flag of India.svg  India 401307−71
Singapore  Flag of Singapore.svg2–0Flag of India.svg  India
Awab Soccerball shade.svg36'
Saad Soccerball shade.svg81'
National Stadium, Singapore
Attendance: 21,000
Referee: Antonio Márquez (Mexico)

United Arab Emirates  Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg2–0Flag of India.svg  India
Al-Talyani Soccerball shade.svg81'
Khamees Soccerball shade.svg88'
National Stadium, Singapore
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Abu Wahid Shanbe (Oman)

Iran  Flag of Iran.svg0–0Flag of India.svg  India
National Stadium, Singapore
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Koh Guan Kiat (Malaysia)

China  Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg3–0Flag of India.svg  India
Lin Lefeng Soccerball shade.svg19'
Gu Guangming Soccerball shade.svg59'
Jia Xiuquan Soccerball shade.svg79'
National Stadium, Singapore
Attendance: 8,256
Referee: Ahmed Jassim (Bahrain)

2011 AFC Asian Cup

Group C

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 321061+57
Flag of South Korea (1997-2011).svg  South Korea 321073+47
Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain 310265+13
Flag of India.svg  India 3003313−100
India  Flag of India.svg 0–4 Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Cahill Soccerball shade.svg11', 65'
Kewell Soccerball shade.svg24'
Holman Soccerball shade.svg45+1'
Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha
Attendance: 11,749
Referee: Ali Al Badwawi (UAE)
Bahrain  Flag of Bahrain.svg 5–2 Flag of India.svg  India
Aaish Soccerball shade.svg8' (pen.)
Abdullatif Soccerball shade.svg16', 19', 36', 77'
Gouramangi Soccerball shade.svg9'
Chhetri Soccerball shade.svg52'
South Korea  Flag of South Korea.svg 4–1 Flag of India.svg  India
Ji Dong-Won Soccerball shade.svg6', 23'
Koo Ja-Cheol Soccerball shade.svg9'
Son Heung-Min Soccerball shade.svg81'
Chhetri Soccerball shade.svg12' (pen.)
Al Gharafa Stadium, Doha
Attendance: 11,366
Referee: Khalil Al Ghamdi (Saudi Arabia)

2019 AFC Asian Cup

Group A

Indian team defending against Thailand attack at 2019 Asian Cup. India at Asia Cup 2019 vs Thailand.jpg
Indian team defending against Thailand attack at 2019 Asian Cup.
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates (H)312042+25Advance to knockout stage
2Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 31113524 [a]
3Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain 31112204 [a]
4Flag of India.svg  India 31024403
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Head-to-head points: Thailand 3, Bahrain 0.
Thailand  Flag of Thailand.svg 1–4 Flag of India.svg  India
Report
Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 3,250
Referee: Liu Kwok Man (Hong Kong)

India  Flag of India.svg 0–2 Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates
Report

India  Flag of India.svg 0–1 Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain
Report
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Attendance: 11,417
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)

2023 AFC Asian Cup

India qualified by finishing as group D winners in third round. This marked India's first ever consecutive Asian Cup qualification. [13]

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 321041+37Advance to knockout stage
2Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan 312041+35
3Flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1971), Flag of Syria (1980-2024).svg  Syria 31111104
4Flag of India.svg  India 30030660
Source: AFC
Australia  Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2–0 Flag of India.svg  India
Report

India  Flag of India.svg 0–3 Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan
Report
Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan
Attendance: 38,491
Referee: Fu Ming (China)

Syria  Flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1971), Flag of Syria (1980-2024).svg 1–0 Flag of India.svg  India
Report
Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor
Attendance: 42,787
Referee: Sivakorn Pu-udom (Thailand)

Record by Opponent

AFC Asian Cup matches (by team)
OpponentWinsDrawsLossesTotalGoals forGoals againstGoal differencePoints
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 002206–60
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran 01010001
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong 100131+23
Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain 002226–40
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan 001103–30
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 100141+33
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 101234–13
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 001102–20
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 001102–20
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 001103–30
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 002204–40
Flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1971), Flag of Syria (1980-2024).svg  Syria 001101–10
Total3112161233–2110

Player records

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerGoalsYears (goals)
1 Sunil Chhetri 42011 (2), 2019 (2)
2 Inder Singh 21964
3 K. Appalaraju 11964
Sukumar Samajpati 1964
Chuni Goswami 1964
Gouramangi Singh 2011
Anirudh Thapa 2019
Jeje Lalpekhlua 2019

Goals by tournament

No.PlayerVenueOpponentDateEditionGoalsRef.
1 K. Appalaraju Municipal Stadium, Haifa Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 27 May 1964 1964 1 [14]
2 Inder Singh 1 [15]
Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv Flag of Hong Kong 1959.svg  Hong Kong 2 June 19641 [16]
3 Sukumar Samajpati 1 [17]
4 Chuni Goswami 1 [18]
5 Gouramangi Singh Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain 14 January 2011 2011 1 [19]
6 Sunil Chhetri 1 [20]
Al Gharafa Stadium, Doha Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 18 January 20111 [21]
Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 6 January 2019 2019 2 [22]
7 Anirudh Thapa 1 [23]
8 Jeje Lalpekhlua 1 [24]

See also

References

  1. "India 2019 AFC Asian Cup" . Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "India's performances at the AFC Asian Cup". goal.com. GOAL. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Asian Nations Cup 1964". RSSSF.
  4. Chaudhari, Arunava. "The Indian Senior Team at 1964 Tel Aviv Asia Cup". indiafootball.de. IndiaFootball. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  5. Chaudhari, Arunava. "1984 Singapore Asian cup Qualifiers". indiafootball.de. IndiaFootball. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  6. "Asian Nations Cup 1984". RSSSF . Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  7. "Indian National Senior Team at 1984 Asian Cup". indiafootball.de. IndiaFootball. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  8. "Asian Nations Cup 2011". RSSSF . Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  9. "A look at India's Opponent at the AFC Asian Cup 2019; Sportskeeda.com" . Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  10. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/asian-cup-qualification/scores-fixtures/2022-06
  11. https://www.news18.com/news/football/india-secure-historic-back-to-back-afc-asian-cup-qualification-before-match-vs-hong-kong-5367931.html
  12. https://www.sportingnews.com/in/football/news/india-knocked-out-asian-cup-2023-worst-performance/ea33dfc5cd901e9f6e38ce69#:~:text=The%20Indian%20Football%20Team%20have%20been%20knocked%20out,had%20a%20miserable%20outing%20at%20the%20continental%20stage.
  13. Sarkar, Dhiman (14 June 2022). "India get to Asian Cup with a four-goal flourish against Hong Kong". Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  14. "Asian Nations Cup 1964" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  15. "Asian Nations Cup 1964" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  16. "Asian Nations Cup 1964" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  17. "Asian Nations Cup 1964" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  18. "Asian Nations Cup 1964" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  19. "Asian Nations Cup 2011" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  20. "Asian Nations Cup 2011" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  21. "Asian Nations Cup 2011" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  22. "Asian Nations Cup 2019" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  23. "Asian Nations Cup 2019" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  24. "Asian Nations Cup 2019" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.