On Thursday, India and Kuwait met in a crucial second-round FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers game for Asia qualifying tournament. For India this match held great significance as Sunil Chhetri bid farewell to national colors by playing his final national game with them.
Both teams boast different playing styles that keep fans guessing: India emphasizes strong defense and rapid counterattacks while Kuwait prefers intricate passing sequences in their offense.
India vs Kuwait Team Stats
India are level with Kuwait at halftime in their 2026 World Cup qualifier in Kolkata, as Sunil Chhetri prepares to make his last national team appearance before retiring after three World Cup campaigns as captain of India. A win today would put India into the third round of qualifying matches and advance them further toward qualifying.
Ahmed Alharbi runs onto a cross from the right and attempts a first-time shot, but Gurpreet makes an outstanding save from Manvir as the home side continue their dominance of this matchup.
Kuwait have proven themselves dangerous on occasion and Bento will attempt to unlock India on Thursday. But this won’t be easy, and India have already prevailed four out of six times at senior level; with two ending in draws.
India Football Team Players
India have an excellent chance of progressing to the third round if they win this match, having a higher goal difference than Kuwait but losing just twice to them in previous matches.
Though their recent performance hasn’t been stellar, the Blue Tigers still boast over 59,000 passionate supporters who back them. If they want to ensure fan satisfaction they must improve on the pitch while simultaneously making fans happier.
Stephen Constantine has helped India improve its FIFA ranking significantly under Bob Houghton in March 2015. After hitting rock bottom under Houghton, Constantine revived and led them all the way to AFC Challenge Cup Final with Edmund Lalrindikarinka and Manvir Singh performing strongly as subs. Redha Hani will face stiff competition in midfield battle with Brandon Fernandes whose defensive prowess will provide another challenge to Indian playmaker.
Kuwait Players
Kuwait will look to outperform India in Kolkata to further their World Cup qualification efforts. They currently sit 136th on FIFA rankings and have lost two out of their first three qualifying games so far.
India faced an enormously consequential game. A victory would almost guarantee their progression into the third round while even a tie would keep qualification hopes alive.
Sunil Chhetri was given an enthusiastic reception by the Salt Lake Stadium crowd and hoped to end his career by scoring another goal. Unfortunately, however, Kuwait defense kept Chhetri out for long stretches and limited his scoring opportunities.
Lallianzuala Chhangte provided a lively presence in the middle of the park and created problems for the visiting defense with his pace and movement, but was unable to create any opportunities and was replaced at halftime by Brandon Fernandes.
Australian Players
Kuwait is one of Asia’s longest-standing football teams, known by their nickname as ‘Blue Wave.’ At one time they were considered one of the dominant forces within Asian football – reaching the final of AFC Asian Cup 1976 before finally winning it three years later in 1980.
The Blue Tigers will need to win this match to advance into the third round of World Cup qualifiers and move onto Round Three of qualifying for Russia 2018. Failing that, they may never make it there.
Sunil Chhetri made his international bow against Kuwait last time out and will hope to end on a high note during his final game for India at Salt Lake Stadium. Lallianzuala Chhangte could be an exciting threat against their defensive unit if given enough chances.
Great Moments
India national football team is widely revered around the world. Their legacy spans over 100 years, producing some of football’s most celebrated moments in history.
One such moment was Bhaichung Bhutia’s final match for India against Bayern Munich in January 2012 in a friendly game that stood as more than just another win; rather it marked one of India’s finest players as well as being an indication of how far Indian football had progressed during his international career.
Recently, India made headlines by pulling off an unlikely 0-0 draw against Qatar in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Gurpreet Ghuggie’s Spiderman-esque heroics and some amazing defending were just part of what made this result remarkable. Kuwait, on the other hand, have suffered from inefficiency and occasional slipups at defense, which they’ll hope to address when taking on India national football team.
Final words
India and Sunil Chhetri’s farewell match ends goallessly as India remain on track for a top four finish. Losing here would have put India out of contention altogether and would have marked his departure as an integral figure.
Kuwait had some chances in the first half, which all went wide. They continued pushing forward after halftime but India’s solid defense prevented any clear shots on target from going in their direction.India failed to score for a third successive match and their fans will be left frustrated at such an inept performance. If India are to advance to the next stage, they need a win against Afghanistan and Qatar as defeat would be devastating for their rankings and progress.
