‘India can beat Qatar’
ISL has groomed Indians to take on strong teams: : I.M. Vijayan
As he looks forward to watching India’s World Cup qualifier against Qatar, to be played at Doha on Thursday, I.M. Vijayan cannot help but think of a match he wouldn’t quite like to remember.
That match, a World Cup qualifier in 1996, was also against Qatar. India lost it by a tennis score — 6-0.
“We played poorly, but that was the time when we didn’t have as much exposure — domestic or overseas — as today’s players,” Vijayan told The Hindu on Tuesday. “Those days we could rarely meet quality opposition. Things have changed quite a lot for the better in Indian football.”
Last meeting
So much so, he feels India can even turn the tables on Qatar this time around. “I think this Indian team can beat Qatar,” he said. “The goalless draw when they last played Qatar, in 2019, should give them a lot of confidence.”
It was a performance India can be proud of: against the Asian champion ranked No. 62 in the world at the time. Qatar is now ranked 58th while India is 105th.
