New Delhi, June 12: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has taken swift action by lodging a formal complaint with the match commissioner regarding the contentious goal awarded to Qatar during their crucial World Cup qualifying match in Doha.
Sources within the AIFF disclosed that they have urged for a comprehensive investigation into the disputed goal, which was allowed by South Korean referee Kim Woo-Sung despite the ball clearly crossing the line during the match that India ultimately lost 1-2 at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday.
The decision to award the goal has triggered widespread outrage as it dashed India’s hopes of securing their first-ever entry into the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers for the 2026 edition.
An AIFF official stated, “We have filed a complaint with the match commissioner and are pressing for a thorough investigation into the entire incident.”
Iran’s Hamed Momeni officiated as the match commissioner, responsible for overseeing the match’s organization and ensuring adherence to FIFA regulations.
The controversial incident occurred in the 73rd minute when a free-kick taken by Qatar’s Abdullah Alahrak led to a scramble in the Indian penalty area, ultimately resulting in a goal being scored despite the ball having gone out of play.
Despite protests from the Indian team, the on-field decision to award the goal to Qatar stood firm.
India coach Igor Stimac expressed disappointment, emphasizing that the “irregular” goal shattered his team’s aspirations.
Reflecting on the outcome, Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu remarked that the incident highlighted the team’s need to seize opportunities rather than relying on external factors, stating, “No one will hand us anything, we have to take it!”
