Anirudh Thapa tests COVID-19 positive in Qatar

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Bengaluru/Doha, June 5: Indian football team's midfielder Anirudh Thapa has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) and is under quarantine in a separate room in the team hotel in Doha.

Thapa had tested COVID-19 positive on Wednesday (June 2), a day before India played Asian champions Qatar in their joint 2022 FIFA World Cup and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup qualifiers in Doha.

"Yes, Anirudh Thapa tested positive (for COVID-19) and he is isolated (from other team members)," All India Football Federation General Secretary Kushal Das was quoted as saying by the PTI news agency.

The 23-year-old, who plies his trade with Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League will be tested again for COVID-19 in a few days. He has played more than 20 matches for India.

India are already out of contention for Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup berth. However they still remain in the reckoning for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup to be held in China.

With just three points from six matches, a winless India are at fourth spot in the Group E standings.

Igor Stimac's men still have two more matches in the joint qualifiers to salvage some pride.

They play Bangladesh on June 7 and wind up their Group E engagements with the match against Afghanistan on June 15.

Both the matches will be held at the Jassam bin Hamad Stadium in Al Sadd.