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The Indian football team's World Cup dream took a devastating turn in their crucial Round 2 qualifier against Qatar.
In a heart-stopping moment during the 73rd minute, Qatar managed to equalise through a highly controversial goal, sending shockwaves through the Indian camp and sparking outrage among fans.
Replays clearly showed the ball crossing the touchline before a Qatari player retrieved it and set up Youssef Ayman for the goal.
Despite vehement protests from the Indian players and coaching staff, the referee inexplicably allowed the goal to stand.
This blatant oversight ignited a firestorm on social media, with the hashtag #Cheating trending heavily on X.
Victory was the only path to history for India in their World Cup qualifier against Qatar.
In the 73rd minute, disaster struck. Despite the ball clearly crossing the touchline, a Qatari player retrieved it and set up Youssef Ayman for a simple goal. Indian protests were ignored, leaving fans and players in disbelief.
This controversial decision didn't break the Indian spirit. They fought back, determined to reclaim the lead. However, their resilience was met with a cruel blow in the 85th minute.
A powerful shot from Ahmed Al Rawi sealed Qatar's victory, shattering India's World Cup dreams.
From second place in the group, India fell to third, their hopes of reaching Round 3 dashed. Yet, the Blue Tigers' journey isn't over. They'll now channel their focus towards qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup 2027, seeking to redeem themselves and reignite the nation's footballing passion.
