AIFF Media Team

KOWLOON, HONG KONG: India head coach Manolo Márquez remains hopeful of qualification to the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 despite the Blue Tigers’ heartbreaking 0-1 away defeat to Hong Kong, China on Tuesday. The Indian team landed in New Delhi on Wednesday afternoon.

A 94th-minute penalty, converted by substitute Stefan Pereira, left India with just a point from two matches in Group C. With Singapore defeating Bangladesh 2-1 in Dhaka, Márquez's side now sit at the bottom of the group with no goals scored. Only the group winner will qualify for the AFC Asian Cup.

Yet despite the growing pressure, Márquez said, “I still think that India have possibilities to qualify. Obviously, we are sad. The dressing room is like a funeral. But we’re still in the fight.”

The Spaniard called for unity and composure, noting that the team still has four more group games to play, the next ones being a double-header against Singapore on October 9 and 14, as they aim to qualify for their third successive Asian Cup.

“This group is very equal. Bangladesh, Singapore, Hong Kong, India — anyone can defeat anyone. We are still alive. There’s everything to play for.”

The match, played in front of a vociferous 42,570-strong home crowd at the newly-inaugurated Kai Tak Stadium, was evenly contested for the most part. Both sides created limited chances, and Márquez admitted it was always likely to be decided by a fine margin.

"It was a typical game you lose when you're in a bad moment. I think it was practically a game without chances,” he said.

“The clearest chance was for Ashique (Kuruniyan) in the first half. And then, one action in injury time for Hong Kong. A clear penalty.”

India, who were held to a goalless draw by Bangladesh on Matchday 1, once again struggled to find the back of the net. Including the 0-2 defeat to Thailand last week, it's now three matches without a goal for the Blue Tigers, a run that Márquez acknowledged as concerning, but not unsolvable.

“Sometimes, this happens in football. It’s not just a national team issue. You can go five or six games without scoring, and then suddenly you score four in one game,” he explained.

“We talk a lot about needing more Indian strikers. But I cannot say anything negative about the players. The effort, the attitude, the plan, it was all there.”

The coach highlighted that his team did well to stay disciplined and structured throughout the match. However, he stressed the importance of developing the mental strength to see out games when not at their best.

“Sometimes, if you can’t win, you have to know how to draw,” he said. “We want to win, but we have to avoid losing matches like this, especially in the last minute.”

India's four remaining fixtures are away and home to Singapore (October 9 and 14, respectively), away to Bangladesh (November 18) and at home to Hong Kong, China (March 31, 2026).