Anwar, Jhingan's goals power India's 2-1 win vs Tajikistan to start Khalid Jamil era

India began its 2025 CAFA Nations Cup campaign with a landmark 2-1 victory over hosts Tajikistan in Dushanbe on Friday, ending an 18-year wait for a win against the Central Asian side. The Blue Tigers, led by new head coach Khalid Jamil, struck early through Anwar Ali and Sandesh Jhingan before surviving waves of pressure in the second-half, with goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu producing a heroic performance in between the sticks.

The visitors started brightly, unsettling Tajikistan with their intensity. In the 5th minute, Anwar Ali rose highest to meet a long throw from Uvais and forced a defensive error that ended with the ball in the net. Just eight minutes later, India doubled their advantage. Anwar turned the provider, whipping in a dangerous corner that led to Rahul Bheke’s header being blocked, only for Jhingan to slam home the rebound.

What a start to the Khalid Jamil era #TJKIND #CAFANationsCup2025 #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/wIzT36meb9— FanCode (@FanCode) August 29, 2025

Tajikistan, rattled but resilient, clawed their way back when Samiev combined smartly with Panshanbe and Boboev before finishing past Gurpreet in the 23rd minute. The hosts pushed forward in search of parity, but India’s backline held firm to enter halftime with a slender 2-1 lead.

The second half was all about Tajikistan’s attack against India’s defence. Roared on by a packed home crowd, the hosts unleashed a flurry of shots, set pieces, and crosses. Gurpreet Sandhu, however, stood tall, making crucial saves from Jalilov, Safarov, and Shukurov. India, meanwhile, looked to counter through Vikram Partap Singh and Irfan Yadwad but struggled to find the finishing touch.

The defining moment came in the 72nd minute when Tajikistan were awarded a penalty after a soft foul on Soirov. With the pressure mounting, Soirov stepped up only to be denied by Gurpreet’s sharp save to his right, sparking wild celebrations among the Indian players. Jamil, though, urged calm from the sidelines as his side continued to soak up relentless pressure. India’s task became harder when Irfan picked up a serious injury late in the game and had to be stretchered off.

Despite tense closing minutes and a stoppage-time header from Hanonov that flew narrowly wide, India held on for a famous win. It was their first victory over Tajikistan since Sunil Chhetri’s hat-trick in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup and only their second in seven meetings overall. The result not only gave Jamil a dream start to his tenure but also boosted India’s chances of progressing from Group B, where they next face IR Iran on September 1 and Afghanistan on September 4.