India vs Kuwait, FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia Qualifiers: Manvir Singh powers Blue Tigers to crucial away win

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India vs Kuwait: Manvir Singh scores the most memorable goal of his career as the Mohun Bagan forward nets the winning goal in India's 1-0 win over Kuwait in the opening match of Round 2 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City on Thursday (November 16).

The winning goal came in the 75th minute of the match after India dominated most of the match. Lallinzuala Chhangte came off the bench to set up Manvir for the winner. The goal made all the difference as India walked off the pitch with all three points in their pocket.

The win could well become a crucial factor in India's endeavour to get into the next round of the World Cup campaign for the first time in history. Kuwait, who struggled to create chances in the game, ended the game with 10 men as Faisal Alharbi saw a red card in the injury time for a high boot challenge on Chhangte.

India's head coach Igor Stimac should also receive a good amount of credit for this three-pointer; his decision to leave Chhangte out of the starting eleven raised a few eyebrows without getting deep into his scheme of things.

Stimac waited till the 64th minute before he unleashed Chhangte against an already harassed Kuwait defence and he did the trick that the Blue Tigers were looking for. Chhangte's fresh legs did wonder; his cross from the left was a classic one - it had the perfect angle, the ideal height and all the ingredients to leave the Kuwait defence stranded.

Only a few months ago, India and Kuwait battled it out hard twice in the SAFF Championships in Bengaluru with India emerging the victors in tie-breakers in the final. Thursday's win was perhaps more creditable.

It came on Kuwait's home turf and within the regulation period in which India certainly had more say in the proceedings. If India didn't create enough positive chances despite having the upper hand, the hosts were also in no position to take any credit away from India as they could hardly penetrate the Indian defence.

India's goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu had a rather peaceful day in the office; the attacks he had to negotiate with were mostly without stings. India, on the other hand, were far more enterprising though they too failed to open the Kuwait defence too many times.

Yet, in the first half, India were doing the right things on the right, with Nikhil Poojary and Manvir Singh being the chief operators. One such foray saw Poojary floating the ball inside the box in a copybook style. Skipper Sunil Chhetri took a volley that had the required punch, but not the direction. It sailed over the bar. It was perhaps the best chance India had in the match, apart from Manvir's magical strike.