India showed resilience but suffered a 0-3 defeat against the strong Asian champions Qatar in their second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup second-round qualifiers. The match took place in Bhubaneswar, with Qatar asserting dominance throughout. They could have won by a larger margin if not for missed opportunities. The visiting team found the net through Moustafa Tarek Mashal, Almeoz Ali, and Yusuf Adurisag. India struggled to create scoring chances, despite drawing inspiration from their previous 0-0 draw against Qatar. The Indian defense was exposed early on, conceding a goal in the fourth minute. Qatar’s Akram Afif missed three chances, allowing India to stay one goal down at halftime. India had two fine chances to equalize but failed to convert. Qatar doubled their lead early in the second half, with Ali finding the target. India continued to fight back, but Qatar sealed their victory with a goal from Adurisag. India’s next World Cup qualifier is against Afghanistan on March 21, 2023, in Tajikistan.