India’s senior men’s football team lost 0-1 to hosts Hong Kong in a crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifier in Kowloon last evening. Hong Kong’s Stefan Pereira scored in injury time in the 94th minute to secure the win. The defeat jeopardises India’s chances of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia and could see them drop to 133rd in the FIFA rankings.
In another Group C action, Singapore beat Bangladesh 2-1 to top the table, while Hong Kong moved into second. With one point, India sits at the bottom, and only the group winner will qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. India had previously played out a goalless draw against Bangladesh.