Football News: India to lock horns with Asian champions Qatar on Tuesday

India will lock horns with Asian giants, Qatar in their second Group E game of their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. The Blue tigers are coming off a gut-wrenching 1-2 defeat at the hands of Oman. They led for the majority of the game yet let that advantage slip in the final quarter of an hour. On the other hand Qatar enjoyed a magnificent victory in their first game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, thrashing Afghanistan by six goals. The team has a strategy of playing with pace and getting into the opposition box. With a mixture of experience and youth, Qatar has evolved into Asia's strongest team. The Blue Tigers will have to work hard defensively against Qatar. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's workload will have to be reduced by the back-four. The defenders should be vigilant not to lose their defensive shape, especially in the dying minutes. India has faced Qatar on seven occasions of which five have been won by the Maroons and two-game ended in a draw. The Igor Stimac’s boys landed in Qatar on Saturday and they were received with Thunderous applause, vociferous chants and hundreds of selfies by a boisterous set of NRI supporters. Soaking in the adulation was young Ashique Kuruniyan, who has always been a favourite among fans, and only added to his burgeoning reputation after a stellar show against Oman.