The Indian national football team faced a disheartening defeat against Hong Kong in their recent AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers match. The game concluded with a 1-0 scoreline in favor of Hong Kong, leaving the Indian side struggling in Group C with just one point from two matches. The atmosphere in the Indian dressing room following the loss was described by head coach Manolo Marquez as being "like a funeral."
The defeat came as a bitter blow, especially considering the circumstances. The match, played at the newly-inaugurated Kai Tak Stadium in Kowloon, before a vociferous home crowd of over 42,000, was evenly contested for the most part. Both teams struggled to create clear-cut chances, and Marquez acknowledged that the game was likely to be decided by a narrow margin. India's best opportunity came in the first half when Ashique Kuruniyan failed to capitalize on a cross from Liston Colaco.
The decisive moment arrived in the 94th minute when Hong Kong was awarded a penalty. Vishal Kaith, the Indian goalkeeper, was deemed to have fouled Michael Udebuluzor while attempting to clear a long ball, and Stefan Pereira converted the resulting spot-kick, securing the win for Hong Kong.
Marquez expressed his disappointment, stating, "Obviously, we are sad. The dressing room is like a funeral." Despite the setback, the coach remained optimistic about India's chances of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027. He emphasized that the group is very competitive, with any team capable of defeating another. "I still think that India have possibilities to qualify. We are still in the fight. There's everything to play for," Marquez asserted.
He called for unity and composure within the team, highlighting the importance of the remaining four group games. India is scheduled to play a double-header against Singapore on October 9 and 14, followed by an away game against Bangladesh on November 18, and a home match against Hong Kong on March 31, 2026.
Marquez also acknowledged India's struggles in finding the back of the net, with the team now having gone three matches without scoring. He said, “Sometimes, if you can't win, you have to know how to draw. We want to win, but we have to avoid losing matches like this, especially in the last minute.”
The loss against Hong Kong has placed India at the bottom of Group C, with Singapore and Hong Kong leading the table with four points each. Only the group winner will automatically qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2027.
