India U20 remains alive in qualifiers after Uzbekistan defeat

The India U20 men's football team faced a significant setback in their bid to qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027, suffering a 4-0 defeat against hosts Uzbekistan on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The match took place at the Dostlik Stadium in Tashkent. Despite the heavy loss, India remains in contention for qualification. The team is currently second in Group B, holding an advantage over Syria based on the head-to-head criterion, following their opening 1-0 victory against Syria. India's final group stage fixture is scheduled for Sunday, September 6, 2026, against Bangladesh. The defeat to Uzbekistan saw Ulugbek Maratov open the scoring in the 29th minute. Kuvonchbek Abraev extended the lead with a free-kick in the 34th minute, and Shorakhim Shorakhmedov added a third goal in the 67th minute. Substitute Nurbek Sersenbaev completed the scoring in added time. The loss also impacted India's goal difference, a potential tiebreaker for qualification. India is aiming to end a 20-year absence from the AFC U20 Asian Cup, having last participated when they hosted the tournament in 2006.