Indian Football Thread / 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)

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Format

The qualification structure is as follows:

• First round: A total of 12 teams (teams ranked 35–46) will play home-and-away over two legs. The six winners will advance to the second round.
• Second round: A total of 40 teams (teams ranked 1–34 and six first round winners) will be divided into eight groups of five teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The eight group winners and the four best group runners-up will advance to the third round of FIFA World Cup qualification as well as qualify for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals.
• Third round: The 12 teams (an increase from 10 for 2014) which advance from the second round will be divided into two groups of six teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The top two teams of each group will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the two third-placed teams will advance to the fourth round.
• Fourth round: The two third-placed teams of each group from the third round will play home-and-away over two legs. The winner will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.

A total of 24 teams eliminated from World Cup qualification in the second round will compete in the third round of 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification (which will be separate from the third round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification), where they will be divided into six groups of four teams and compete for the remaining slots of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The 24 teams will consist of the 16 highest ranked teams eliminated in the second round, and the eight teams that advance from the play-off round of 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification which are contested by the remaining 12 teams eliminated in the second round.

First round [2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC First Round]

• India
  
  [ 2–0 ]
  
  Nepal [Match 01 : 2–0 / Match 02 : 0–0 ]

Second round [2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Second Round]
India was grouped with Iran, Oman, Turkmenistan and Guam in Group D

• June 11, 2015.....|........India
  
  [ 1-2 ]
  
  Oman
• June 16, 2015.....|.........Guam
  
  [ 2-1 ]
  
  India
• September 8, 2015.|........India
  
  [ - ]
  
  Iran
• October 8, 2015...|.Turkmenistan
  
  [ - ]
  
  India
• October 13, 2015..|.........Oman
  
  [ - ]
  
  India
• November 12, 2015.|........India
  
  [ - ]
  
  Guam
• March 24, 2016....|.........Iran
  
  [ - ]
  
  India
• March 29, 2016....|........India
  
  [ - ]
  
  Turkmenistan

 

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India 1-2 Oman: Hosni wins three crucial points

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Guam 2-1 India: Blue Tigers snared by buoyant Matao in World Cup Qualifier

A late Sunil Chhetri goal was no consolation for India as the underdogs Guam scalped yet another important win in their World Cup Group D qualifier... Read more on Goal...​

 

[Ashu54]

Mission Impossible.....

 

[themusketeer]

Indian Captain Sunil chettri is leading goal scorer of 2018 FIFA WC Qualifiers

 

[IceAgeComing]

...ignoring the fact that qualifying hasn't even been drawn in Europe and Africa and has only reached the preliminary round featuring random teams that you haven't heard of in North America, that really isn't saying a whole lot.

 

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ISL 2 auction results: Chhetri, Eugeneson and Rino Anto make the headlines

The updated results of the Indian Super League (ISL) domestic player auctions held in Mumbai here...​