The game was tough, with both teams fighting hard. (Photo: X/CAFA Association)
The Indian men’s football team created history by beating Oman 3-2 in a penalty shootout to claim third place in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 in Hisor, Tajikistan, on Monday. This is the first time India has defeated Oman in an international football match.
The game was tough, with both teams fighting hard. Oman scored first, putting pressure on India. But Udanta Singh equalised with a brilliant goal, making it 1-1.
The score stayed the same until full time, and the match went into penalties.
The penalty shootout turned out to be thrilling. For India, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Rahul Bheke, and Jithin MS scored confidently. Anwar Ali and Udanta Singh missed their chances. On the other side, Oman missed their first two spot kicks, which gave India the upper hand. The biggest hero was goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who saved the final penalty to seal India’s victory.
India had never beaten Oman before. Out of nine matches played since 2000, India had lost six and drawn three. Their last meeting in 2021 ended in a 1-1 draw. This victory is therefore historic and shows the growth of Indian football.
Oman is ranked higher than India in world football, which makes the result even more special. Winning against such an opponent has boosted the confidence of the Blue Tigers. It also shows that the team can now compete strongly against tough sides in Asia.
This win is important for India as they prepare for upcoming international tournaments. The players and fans will take a lot of confidence from this match. Beating a team like Oman is a sign that Indian football is slowly but steadily moving in the right direction.
