India vs Kuwait, FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Highlights: India and Kuwait played out a goalless draw in what was Sunil Chhetri’s final match of his international career. read more
That’s all we have for you from this game. It’s certainly not the kind of fitting finale that India would have wanted to give to Sunil Chhetri, but have to settle for a point against Kuwait. This also means India’s hopes of making the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers third round looks slim. The Blue Tigers face a tough test against Qatar in their final match of the second round of the World Cup Qualifiers on 11 June. We will be back with coverage of that match, but for now, this is Vishnu signing off. Goodbye and good night!
India 0-0 Kuwait
Full time! India and Kuwait play out a goalless draw in Kolkata, in a match that is Sunil Chhetri’s final international game for the Blue Tigers. Not the result India would have wanted considering all three points were important, and even Chhetri would have wanted to sign off with a goal.
India 0-0 Kuwait
92′: Woah, what’s happening here? Players of India and Kuwait break out into a fight, after an intense duel between India’s Edmund and Kuwait’s Al-Sanea. Bith of them were fighting for the ball near the touchline. Alenezi, meanwhiles, comes in and shives Edmund and a fught erupts. The referee restores normalcy just moments later.
India 0-0 Kuwait
90′: Seven minutes have been added in injury time in the second half. Will that be enough time for India to score a goal?
India 0-0 Kuwait
87′: Kuwait win a corner, but the visitors are not able to make anything out of it as the ball is immediately cleared.
India 0-0 Kuwait
82′: A counter-attack from India. Sunil Chhetri provides a pass to Rahim Ali, who then finds Chhangte on the side. However, the counter-attack is stopped by Ibrahim.
India 0-0 Kuwait
74′: Anwar Ali brings down Kuwait’s Alsulaimani from inside the box, and there’s a shout for penalty from the visitors. The referee, hhowever, says no.
India 0-0 Kuwait
70′: Abdulah gets the ball into India’s penalty spot. The Kuwait player’s effort, however, goes above the crossbar.
India 0-0 Kuwait
60′: Brandon Fernandes finds Sunil Chhetri from the corner. Chhetri is unable to get a good touch before the ball gets to Rahul Bheke. Bheke goes for a header but Kuwait’s Abdulgahfoor receives the ball.
India 0-0 Kuwait
58′: Brandon Fernandes finds Chhangte on the right flank. but Alanezi makes a tackle and prevents Chhangte from creating room.
India 0-0 Kuwait
47′: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu with a fine save as Al Harbi goes for a shot from a rather difficult spot. India are somehow managing to hold themselves together.
India 0-0 Kuwait
The second half is underway in Kolkata. Will India score a goal, and more importantly, will Chhetri find the back of the net?
India 0-0 Kuwait
HALF TIME! It remains goalless in Kolkata between India and Kuwait. Kuwait have had the majority of scoring chances, and the task is clearly cut out for India, whose defence is being tested. What will happen in the second half? We will find out shortly.
India 0-0 Kuwait
45′: Four minutes have been added in injury time in the first half. Will we see a goal before half-time?
India 0-0 Kuwait
42′: Al Rashidi looks to pass the ball to Abdulah with a cross from the right, but India’s defence line clears danger.
India 0-0 Kuwait
37′: India are making strides to score that first goal after the drinks break, but the hosts are unable to find the back of the net so far. Kuwait defenders, meanwhile, have been solid so far.
India 0-0 Kuwait
28′: India win a free-kick after Nikhil Poojary is fouled by Kuwait’s Abdulah. India, though, do not get anything from the free-kick.
India 0-0 Kuwait
20′: Yousel Alsulaiman, Kuwait captain, takes a shot from long range, but the ball goes out of play. All Gurpreet needs to do is watch the ball on this occasion.
India 0-0 Kuwait
12′: Anirudh Thapa with a cross towards inside the box from a corner. Anwar Ali is there and attempts a header on target, but does not get anything from it.
India 0-0 Kuwait
11′: Liston Colaco looks to find Sunil Chhetri after getting the ball into the left flank. Chhetri had already made the run, but Colaco’s ball is intercepted by Kuwait forward Al Enezi.
India 0-0 Kuwait
9′: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has once again his task cut out after Daham goes for goal once again. The Kuwait No 9 is looking promising here. Gurpreet, though, extends his hands well to make a crucial save.
India 0-0 Kuwait
5′: Kuwait miss a big opportunity to score with Mohammad Daham making a run into goal, but Gurpreet is there who steps out of the line and gets a touch. The ball, though, goes out for a corner.
India 0-0 Kuwait
Right. The match is underway in Kolkata. India begin from left to right, will they give Sunil Chhetri a fitting farewell gift? We will find out in 90 minutes.
Right. Players of both India and Kuwait lineup for the national anthems. It’s Kuwait first, followed by India. The players also observe a moment for silence for Anil Kamath, a senior AIFF official who passed away on Tuesday.
As Sunil Chhetri walks out to the middle for the last0ever time in India colours, check out the complete list of trophies and awards in international football he has won for the country.
India vs Kuwait recent form (Last five matches)
India: L, D, L, L, L
Kuwait: L, L, L, W, L
After months of poor results, Indian football team needed to press the reset button. The focus is back on enjoying the job as they take on Kuwait with an eye on the historic third round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Click here to read Ujwal Singh’s match preview.
Kuwait starting XI: Sulaiman(GK), Alenezi, Ibrahim, Abdulah, Alrashidi, Alharbi, Aldousari, Abujabarah, Alsulaiman, Saleh, Hasan Alenezi
Emotions ran high ahead of the India vs Kuwait contest in Kolkata on Thursday, when Sunil Chhetri attended the pre-match press conference on Wednesday. “Inside me, I’m fighting a small battle. Please do not make it worse by asking me again and again how you are feeling because I don’t want to address it. The only thing that I want to speak about here is us against Kuwait,” Chhetri said. Click here to read Ujwal Singh’s full report.
India starting XI: Gurpreet Singh (GK), Rahul Bheke, Anwar Ali, Jay GuptaAnirudh Thapa, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Sunil Chhetri (C), Liston Colaco, Chhangte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Nikhil Poojary
India take on Kuwait in their penultimate match of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers second round qualification at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium today, in what is Sunil Chhetri’s final international match. Join our LIVE coverage as e bring you live updates and scores from the match.
India vs Kuwait preview, FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: The Indian football team take on Kuwait in their penultimate Group A match of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2026 second round in Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium on Thursday, in what will be Sunil Chhetri’s final international game.
Chhetri had announced in May that he would be hanging up his boots from international football after the game against Kuwait in June. The 39 year-old has made 160 appearances for India and scored 94 goals for his country.
India are in second place with four points from as many matches and cannot afford to drop points from their last two matches. Qatar are placed first with 12 points, with Afghanistan (Four points) third and Kuwait (Three) in fourth place. So, even if the Blue Tigers do win against Kuwait on Thursday, other results might have to go in their favour.
Thursday’s game will be followed by their final group match against Qatar on 11 June, which will be played in Doha. India will hope for a clinical outing against Kuwait.
The hosts will miss the services of Sandesh Jhingan, who has been out of action since sustaining a right knee injury during the AFC Asian Cup in January. As a result, the onus will be on the likes of Anwar Ali, Subhasish Bose and Rahul Bheke to step up.
In midfield, it will be up to Anirudh Thapa and Lallianzuala Chhangte to perform with full creativity and intensity.
India’s only win in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers came against Kuwait in a 1-0 win in November last year. Since then, the Igor Stimac-coached side have lost five and drawn one (0-0 against Afghanistan) across competitions, including the Asian Cup, where they failed to secure a point. India’s latest defeat was a 2-1 loss to Afghanistan in March this year. Kuwait, on the other hand are coming on the back of a three-match winless run.
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