That is it from this space, folks! India will play one more game in this tournament. Their opponents will be decided tomorrow (September 5). We hope you liked our coverage for the tonight's game. Stay connected to NDTV Sports for more. Goodbye.

This is a big achievement for the Indian football team. They have made it to the third-place playoff match for the CAFA Nations Cup, inching past Tajikistan in Group B. Tajikistan were held to a 2-2 draw vs Iran in their last group game and ended on four points, equal to that of India. However, India advanced to the third-place playoff match by the virtue of a better head-to-head record.

India make it to #CAFANationsCup2025 third-place playoff after stalemate against Afghanistan
Read match report https://t.co/p7QkS35lZ3#AFGIND #BlueTigers #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/72bpIh35Pz

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 4, 2025

India will wait and watch out the Tajikistan vs Iran match to find out their future in the tournament. You will be informed about the result here once the match ends. Stay connected!

Well, the group stage is over for India but they stay in contention for a third place playoff match. It all depends on Tajikistan now. If they lose their last game against Iran or even play out a draw, India will make it to the third-place playoff match. If Tajikistan win, India will be eliminated.

There is the final whistle from the referee. India and Afghanistan have played out a goalless draw here in Hisor. Both the sides fought well but failed to score any goal. While India were the better side in the first half, they were Afghanistan who stole the show in the second half, missing the goal by bare margins.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Udanta lobbed the ball from the right flank to Manvir at the centre. But the latter was always surrounded by an Afghanistan defence who cleared it before the Indian forward could create a real chance there. Four minutes of extra time has been added in this game.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

India manage to avoid this serious threat from Afghanistan. The latter team got a corner and the kick was right on the money. Indian defence failed to clear it in the first attempt and a shot was made towards the goal but Gurpreet Singh Sandhu got it right into his hands and then threw it far away to build an Indian attack.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Afghanistan have kept India under the pump with some really good attack here. They are pushing in really hard in these final minutes. India, on the other hand, have failed to counter-attack so far. Both the teams remains goalless so far.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

With around 9 minutes left on the clock for the regulation time to end, India head coach Khalid Jamil has made three changes. Jithin, Suresh and Mahesh are being subbed by Danish Farooq, Udanta Singh and Lallianzuala Chhangte.

Afghanistan have been a better side in this second half, especially in the past 10 minutes or so. They are attacking really well and nearly had the opening goal. India are clearly under pressure here.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

A cross was put into India's penalty area from the right flank and Rahul Bheke smashed it away. A corner for Afghanistan followed and they created an amazing chance through it. To India's good luck, goalie Gurpreet got his right hand to the shot. It got diverted and then hit the cross bar and popped out.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

A couple of changes for Afghanistan now. Hotak and Zamani are in for them. Can this bring in change to Afghanistan's luck? They have fared decently so far but have failed to break the deadlock.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Mahesh passes the ball to Manvir inside the penalty area of Afghanistan, but Afghanistan's defence came in between. India got a throw in but failed to create any real chance from there.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Vikram fought for the ball inside the Afghanistan penalty area. He was put down by his t-shirt by the falling Afghanistan defender. Vikram demanded for a foul there but the referee ignored it.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Vikram ran in really well from the left flank. He entered the penalty area of Afghanistan but lacked decision-making skills there. He took a lot of time to decide whether to put a cross there or go by himself and that saw him lose the ball possession.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Manvir Singh and Vikram Partap Singh are in for India. Irfan and Ashique, both of who were shown yellow in the first half, have been sent out. The match has resumed in Hisor.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

The referee has blown his whistle and that is the end of the extra five minutes as well. Both India and Afghanistan stay goalless at the half-time. India should be unhappy with themselves for getting so many chances yet failing to score.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Jithin received the ball outside the penalty area and took a shot from there. Not a bad one it was! That narrowly missed the post. Jithin has been superbly active in the past 15-20 minutes.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Jithin ran from the right flank, got into the box and went ahead with a cross there but it found the Afghanistan defender before Ashique.

Jithin ran from the right flank, got into the box and went ahead with a cross there but it found the Afghanistan defender before Ashique.

The referee has added 5 minutes of extra time before the end of the first half. Can India score a goal? They have been a better side on the field so, also got plenty of opportunities but have failed to make that count.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Another chance for India there. They attacked really well with some sweet close passes between Jithin and Mahesh. The ball was eventually delivered to Ashique who took the final shot from outside the penalty box but found the Afghanistan defender there. 

India 0-0 Afghanistan

That was really-really close. Afghanistan were playing the ball around the penalty area with their goalkeeper also involved in the passes. Just when the defender was passing the ball back to the goalie, Ashique made a brilliant run to steal it. He, however, failed to make it count as the goalie reached and collected the ball after his touch. Ashique has been shown a yellow for getting in contact with the keeper there.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

India got a free-kick after Irfan was taken down but they failed to take advantage of that. Ashique took the shot but it was cleared quite comfortably by the Afghanistan defence.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Ashique made a good run from the left flank and troubled the Afghanistan defence a bit before losing the possession of the ball. He kept everybody interested there, but failed to take it closer. Meanwhile, Irfan is down as the play progressed. He has been tackled from behind by Afghanistan's Hanifi. We have a cooling break here. 

India 0-0 Afghanistan

That was a brilliant shot taken from outside the penalty area. Ali Reza hit it really well from outside the box and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made an equally good save save jumping to his right. He sent the ball away from the goaline and Afghanistan earned a corner.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

India, once again, took it really close but failed to cash in on it. Ashique cut back the ball to Irfan Yadwad, who was into the penalty box of Afghanistan. The ball fell onto the weaker foot (left) of Irfan and he slipped to miss than golden chance.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Chance was there for India into the penalty box of Afghanistan. First Mahesh missed the opportunity and then Anwar Ali hit it well away from the target.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

Irfan Yadvad has been tackled down. He was running for the ball when the Afghanistan player pulled him onto the floor. Referee spotted the foul and India get a free-kick for it.

Afghanistan are threatening from the left flank but it was good defense from India at the end. A pass was made into the box but that was thrown out easily.

India 0-0 Afghanistan

The action has kicked off in Hisor. India are trying to build on an attack from the left flank but Afghanistan have been good with their defence in the first minute of this game.

Players of both the sides are out there in the middle for their respective national anthems. Afghanistan start with their national anthem and India follow them with theirs. We are all set for the start of this game now.

India, then under Igor Stimac, had suffered an embarrassing 1-2 defeat against Afghanistan in Guwahati in a FIFA World Cup qualifying round match in March 2024, and the current team under Khalid Jamil would be eager to make amends of that loss.

India miss the services of centre-back Sandesh Jhingan in this game as he sustained an injury during the match against Iran. "I've never seen a player as brave as Sandesh. Even with the injury, he kept playing in the last match. Not many players can do that," said India head coach Khalid Jamil. "We will definitely miss his presence. He's a great motivator on and off the pitch for the others. It's difficult to find a replacement for him, but this also allows the others to step up."

Presenting the #BlueTigers' line up to take on Afghanistan in our last group stage game of #CAFANationsCup2025
Watch LIVE at 17:30 IST on @FanCode#AFGIND #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/7sPVIYLxJM

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 4, 2025

Hello everyone, welcome to the live blog of India vs Afghanistan, CAFA Nations Cup match. Stay connected for the live score and updates related to the game.