It was a night of grit, resilience, and redemption for the Blue Tigers. Down to ten men and trailing for most of the match, India pulled off a dramatic 1–1 draw against Singapore in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying campaign at the National Stadium, Singapore, on Thursday, October 9.
Before the home crowd, Singapore seemed destined to take all three points until substitute Rahim Ali capitalised on a defensive error in the dying minutes to rescue a point for India.
Singapore strike late in first half
For large stretches of the opening half, Singapore dictated the tempo. Captain Hariss Harun marshalled the midfield with composure, while Kyoga Nakamura and Song Ui-young kept India’s backline occupied with their quick exchanges and clever movement.
Despite some early promise from Liston Colaco and Lallianzuala Chhangte on the flanks, India found it difficult to maintain possession under Singapore’s high press.
The breakthrough came right before the interval. In first-half stoppage time, Shawal Anuar’s intelligent run stretched India’s defence, and a sharp cutback found Ikhsan Fandi, who calmly slotted home past Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to make it 1–0.
It was a clinical finish — Singapore’s energy and structure had finally paid off.
Jhingan’s red card changes the equation
If India were hoping to regroup after the break, those plans were shattered almost immediately. Barely two minutes into the second half, centre-back Sandesh Jhingan — already booked in the 21st minute — picked up a second yellow for a late challenge on Ikhsan Fandi.
Reduced to ten men, India were forced into survival mode. Coach Khalid Jamil reshuffled his defensive lines, bringing in Hmingthanmawia and Deepak Tangri to add stability.
Singapore pushed hard for a second, with Ikhsan and substitute Ilhan Fandi both coming close. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, however, stood tall, pulling off a string of crucial saves to keep India alive.
Rahim Ali’s late heroics
As the clock ticked past ninety, India seemed out of options. Yet football, as always, had its moment of chaos.
A seemingly harmless back pass from Singapore’s Jordan Emaviwe went astray, and Rahim Ali — who had been introduced in the 79th minute — pounced with predator’s instinct.
Skipping past goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud, he coolly rolled the ball into an empty net. From despair to disbelief, India had levelled at 1–1.
The final whistle moments later was met with mixed emotions: relief for India, frustration for Singapore.
A point earned or two lost?
For Singapore, coached by Gavin Lee, the result felt like a missed opportunity. They had almost two-third possession, control, and a man advantage for nearly forty minutes — but failed to seal the contest.
For India, on the other hand, it was a testament to resilience. With their talisman Sunil Chhetri largely isolated up front and the defence under constant pressure, Khalid Jamil’s men showed grit and discipline to claw back into the game.
The challenge ahead
The result leaves Singapore at the top of Group C with five points from three games, while India move to two points, still in contention for qualification.
India will host Singapore in the return leg in Goa on October 14 — a match that could define their campaign.
If the Blue Tigers can build on the fighting spirit shown in Singapore, their hopes for a place in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 may yet remain very much alive.
