In their Group E FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifier in Kolkata, Bangladesh held a lead in the 42nd minute and looked likely to secure the win. A landslide loss at home would have seriously jeopardized India's chances of moving on to the next round.
This match functioned as a joint qualifier for both the World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. Despite being ranked 104th, the Indian team led by Igor Stimac entered the game as heavy favorites over their neighbors, Bangladesh, who trailed them by 83 spots in the world rankings.
Bangladesh played with more composure and intensity, delivering a vibrant performance against an Indian side backed by a capacity crowd at Salt Lake Stadium. Key players struggled; captain Sunil Chhetri was off his game, and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu—despite his heroics against Qatar in Doha—made a critical error. Gurpreet misjudged the ball's trajectory, allowing Bangladesh to score while 65,000 spectators watched in silence.
The goal originated from a free kick on the left earned by Rahul Bheke. Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan sent a curling ball toward the far post that beat Gurpreet, allowing Saad Uddin to finish with a diving header. Both teams walked away with one point, leaving India in fourth place in Group E of the combined qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.