Despite a disastrous start to the match, Igor Stimac's men could hold their heads high after it...
The expectation from most quarters as India went into their 2022 World Cup qualifying encounter against Qatar on Thursday was that they would be on the receiving end of a hammering.
Though India had held Qatar to a goalless draw at the very same venue back in September 2019, that was seen as an anomaly - a fluke result. Qatar, reigning Asian Champions, were keen to 'put things right' themselves.
However, what transpired was not an overwhelming victory for Qatar but a narrow 1-0 win against a bealeaguered India which was battling multiple odds at the same time.