Overview
- Defenders Anwar Ali and Sandesh Jhingan scored in the 5th and 13th minutes before Tajikistan’s Shahrom Samiev pulled one back in the 23rd.
- Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, restored as captain and starter, preserved the lead with multiple stops including a second-half penalty save.
- The victory was India’s first competitive win since November 2023 and came away to higher-ranked hosts, with India 133rd and Tajikistan 106th in FIFA rankings.
- Khalid Jamil’s debut featured a disciplined, defense-first setup and an adjusted squad without Sunil Chhetri and several Mohun Bagan players due to non-release.
- India next faces Iran on September 1 in Group B, using the CAFA Nations Cup to fine-tune selections for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.