Nations Cup: Afghanistan prove tough nut to crack as India held

Hisor (Tajikistan): The Indian football team could not make use of the chances that came its way and was held to a goalless draw by Afghanistan at the CAFA Nations Cup here on Thursday.

The Blue Tigers finished their Group B engagements with four points from three games, and now await the result of the match between Iran and Tajikistan, to know their fate in the tournament.

Having lost to Iran and beaten Tajikistan, India could still finish second and ensure their progression to the third-place match on September 8, if the tournament co-hosts do not win against

formidable Iran.

Afghanistan started the game on the offensive, though India created more clear-cut chances in the opening exchanges on the counter.

A little after the quarter-hour mark, Ashique Kuruniyan managed to break through behind on the left and cut it back for Irfan Yadwad, who missed his shot.

India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was called into action in the 24th minute, when he made a smart save off of a long shot by Ali Reza Panahi. Minutes later, Yadwad was played through into the Afghanistan box, but his eventual shot went wide of the far post.

Ashique managed to close down Afghanistan centre-back Mahboob Hanifi in the 34th minute, and stole the ball inside the box, and only had goalkeeper Faisal Ahmad Hamidi to beat, but the latter smothered the ball.