 "Khalid Jamil couldn't have asked for a better result in his first game as head coach. Image: AIFF")
The Indian football team made a dream start under new coach Khalid Jamil, beating hosts Tajikistan 2-1 in their opening match of the CAFA Nations Cup on Friday, August 29. India surprised Tajikistan despite being a lower-ranked side, thanks to two early goals from defenders Anwar Ali and Sandesh Jhingan.
The credit should also go to goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who pulled off a series of brilliant saves, including a penalty stop, to keep the lead safe. This was Jamil’s first game in charge and he couldn’t have asked for a better start. This also ended India’s run of three games without a goal.
Fans hail Khalid Jamil
Fans were quick to celebrate the victory on social media, calling it the perfect start to the Khalid Jamil era. Many hailed the team’s resilience, saying the win gave them hope for a brighter future in Indian football. Some joked about India winning a game before Manchester United and Ruben Amorim.
Khalid Jamil is the first Indian coach in years to take charge of the national football team. He was appointed to the top job earlier this month, replacing Spaniard Manolo Marquez, whose contract ended by mutual agreement. Prior to this, Jamil was the manager of Indian Super League (ISL) club Jamshedpur FC.