India suffered a 0-3 defeat through the hands of Iran in their second game of the Cafa Nations Cup 2025, in the Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, Tadjikistan, on Monday 1 September 2025.
After a scoreless first half, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh (60 ‘) put Iran in the lead, before Ali Alipour (89’) and Mehdi Taremi (90+6 ‘) added two late goals to give Asian Giants the three points.
Defending champion Iran, ranked 113 places above India (133rd) in the FIFA rankings, held the Blue Tigers back from the start and got some early rescues from India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
The India defense stabilized their activities at the back after the opening changes and managed to prevent Iran from producing clear opportunities. The efforts of Mohammad Amin Hazbavi and Omid Noorafkan, a bit after fifteen minutes, went wide, while Gurpreet succeeded in blocking a dangerous cuts of Mahdi Hashemnezhad.
India had their first chance in the 24th minute, when the cross of Suresh Singh Wangjam was stuck in the Iran box by Irfan Yadwad, who put it down for Nikhil Prabhu. However, the shot of the midfielder was blocked.
India began to gain more confidence when the clock was past half an hour and they managed to produce a passage of playing in the third Iran. The Blue Tigers succeeded in producing a few switches to the right wing to Vikram Partap Singh, who was able to run in Mohammad in more detail, but Iran negotiated the danger on both occasions.
Minutes later Gurpreet was again called into action when he became low to save a snapshot from Noorafkan. India defended in a coordinated way in the first half, managed to frustrate Iran and not to have them made clear openings.
The second half started a lot in the same way. India that allows Iran to keep the ball in possession, while they got them close to the defensive third party.
It took Iran an hour to open the score, although a touch of happiness was involved. Hossein Kanaani hung a cross on the distant pole to Hosseinzadeh, whose header was blocked by India defender Rahul Bheke. However, the ball was friendly to the feet of Hosseinzadeh, who finished him up close.
India -head coach Khalid Jamil, looking for roads to come back in the game, applied Manvir Singh (Jr.), Mahesh Naorem and Jithin MS. The attacking changes gave the Blue Tigers some impulse in the future, and the cross of Manvir found Bheke in the nearby pole in the 72nd minute, but the defender’s header was wide.
Iran had their own aces in the form of Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Mehdi Taremi, whose introduction in the fight caused problems for India, who were now happy to be the same. Jithin raised a few eyebrows with his Mazy runs for India, but there was no real threat to Iran’s goal. He had the opportunity to create a good chance in the 86th minute when he broke on the counter with speed, but his ball to Mahesh had too much weight because Iran -goalkeeper Payam Niazmand gathered it calmly.
Jahanbakhsh and Taremi’s experience shone in the dying minutes. The first produced a shot that was saved, while the latter bounced on the rebound, only to hit the upright before Alipour hit the ball into the distant pole and doubled the lead for Iran.
Replacement Jeakson Singh tried his luck with a lost shot deep in injury time, but the ball just didn’t fall fast enough and sailed centimeters over the woodwork in Iran. A minute later, Iran broke on the counter with speed, and one by the ball of Jahanbakhsh found Taremi, who made it three for the world number 20s.
India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (C) (C), Sandesh Jhingan, Rahul Bheke, Anwar Ali, Nikhil Prabhu, Suresh Singh Wangjam (Jeakson Singh Thownjam 54 ‘), Vikram Partap Singh JRADM 68 ‘), Muhesh Singh Naorem 68’), Muhesh Singh Naorem 68 ‘), Muhesh Singh Naorem 68’), Muhesh Singh Norem 68 ‘), Muhesh Singh Naorem’), Muhesh Singh Naorem 68 ‘). Uvais, Danish Farooq (Chinglensana Singh Konsham 54 ‘, Jithin MS 68’), Ashique Kuruniyan (Lallianzuala Chhange 83 ‘).
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