Indian football team (Pic credit: AIFF) NEW DELHI: India etched their name in Central Asian football history on Monday, by securing a bronze medal in their maiden appearance at the CAFA Nations Cup. The Blue Tigers defeated higher-ranked Oman 3-2 on penalties after the third-place playoff ended 1-1 at the Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, Tajikistan.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.SUBSCRIBE NOW!The evening saw plenty of drama as Udanta Singh Kumam’s 80th-minute header cancelled out Jameel Al Yahmadi’s opener in the 55th minute, taking the contest into extra time. Oman were reduced to ten men when Ali Al Busaidi was sent off in the 96th minute, but despite India’s late dominance, the match went to a penalty shootout.In the shootout, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Rahul Bheke, and Jithin MS held their nerves to score for India, while Anwar Ali’s effort was saved and Udanta fired wide. For Oman, only Thani Al Rushaidi and Muhsen Al Ghassani converted, with Harib Al Saadi and Ahmed Al Kaabi missing the target. The decisive moment came when Indian skipper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu dived full stretch to save Al Yahmadi’s final kick, sparking wild celebrations as India sealed a historic podium finish.The match itself was an end-to-end affair. India began brightly, with Vikram Partap Singh and Chhangte troubling the Omani defence on the flanks. An early chance fell to defender Anwar Ali, whose powerful header was superbly saved by goalkeeper Ibrahim Al Mukhaini. Oman, however, responded through Issam Al Sabhi and Nasser Al Rawahi, testing Sandhu, who kept India in the contest with crucial saves.Oman struck first after the restart, when Abdullah Fawaz’s deft flick released Al Yahmadi to score at the far post. But head coach Khalid Jamil’s substitutions paid dividends, as Danish Farooq’s flick-on from Rahul Bheke’s long throw allowed Udanta to equalize with a brave header, confirmed after a lengthy VAR check.With Busaidi’s red card tilting the balance, India pressed for a winner in extra time but failed to break through. Ultimately, the night belonged to Sandhu, whose final save ensured India a remarkable third-place finish at their CAFA Nations Cup debut.
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