India’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign in Round Two got off to a heartbreaking 1-2 loss to Oman at Guwahati but there were still plenty of positives to take for the Blue Tigers from their defeat.
One of the more heartening aspects of India’s narrow loss was the performance of the midfield which went toe-to-toe with that of Oman’s for much of the ninety minutes. Tired legs in the dying minutes of the game proved to the hosts’ undoing on the night but the display of the midfield has given plenty of cause for optimism for the remainder of the qualifying campaign.