Image Source: Indian Express (FanCode)
Kalyan Chaubey, the president of the All India Football Federation, has called for an investigation into a contentious goal scored by Qatar against India during a World Cup 2026 Qualifier match. Chaubey expressed his concerns over the fairness of one of the goals scored against India, stressing the need for a thorough examination by FIFA and AFC officials. He highlighted the severity of the situation, indicating that the alleged supervision error may have cost India a spot in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Round 3. Chaubey’s statement included a plea for sporting compensation to address the perceived injustice, expressing trust in FIFA and AFC to take appropriate action.
The disputed goal occurred in the 73rd minute of the match when India was leading 1-0. Despite goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s apparent save, the ball crossed the line after being kicked back into play by Hashmi Hussein, resulting in a goal for Qatar. However, the referee, Kim Woo-Sung, did not detect the infringement, and the absence of VAR prevented a review of the decision. India ultimately lost the match 2-1, abruptly ending their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Coach Igor Stimac voiced his disappointment, characterizing the goal as “irregular” and lamenting its impact on his team’s aspirations.
