India qualified for the 2023 Asian Cup Finals for the second time in a row ensuring their 5th appearance in the continental competition.
India are set to face Hong Kong in their final qualifier in Kolkata but qualified due to results going there way elsewhere.
India’s qualification was confirmed after Palestine defeated the Philippines in a Group B match earlier on Tuesday.
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India defeated Cambodia 2-0 in their first qualifying match in Kolkata last week before beating Afghanistan 2-1 in a thriller.
Captain Sunil Chhetri has been in fine form as he has netted 3 of the 4 goals India have scored so far. Chhetri broke the deadlock in the 84th minute against Afghanistan with a stunning free-kick.
Notably, Sunil Chhetri had stressed that qualifying for the Asian Cup Finals should be the bare minimum for India if they are to consistently compete with the best in Asia and improve steadily.
With fans turning up in large numbers at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, India will be determined to finish their qualifying campaign with a win over Hong Kong and the top spot in Group D.
China was scheduled to host the AFC Asian Cup in 2023 across 10 cities from June 16 to July 16 but the country gave up the hosting rights due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The AFC said it will announce the new hosts in the coming months.