Indian football team qualifies for AFC Asian Cup 2023 before crunch fixture versus Hong Kong

Sunil Chhetri-led Indian football team have qualified for a second successive AFC Asian Cup after Palestine's 4-0 win over the Philippines in the AFC Cup qualification rounds on Tuesday. The Blue Tigers who currently sit in second place in group D have qualified as one of the best second-placed teams in the qualification rounds.

India will face off against group D leaders Hong Kong on June 14 Tuesday, to determine which team wins the group, however, irrespective of whatever happens in the match between India and Hong Kong, both teams have qualified for AFC Asian Cup 2023, courtesy of Palestine's win.

Any result today would have given India a qualification but with Palestine beating the Philippines 4-0 in their last game, India has secured their position in the AFC Asia Cup 2023. This will be India's fifth appearance in the top continental tournament in Asia. The result meant that the Palestinians are directly qualified for the 24-team finals finishing group toppers, while the second-placed Philippines, with four points, were eliminated despite finishing second. Only the winners of the six qualifying groups are sure to advance to the tournament proper, where they will be joined by the five best second-placed teams in their respective groups.

The matches of each group were played across different venues with India hosting the group D games. All the group winners and the five best second-place finishers across the six groups will qualify for the Asian Cup. As things stand now, Hong Kong (six points) lead group D ahead of India on goal difference as both teams cross swords in their final round clash later in the day.

India, who are second behind Hong Kong (six points) on goal difference, have qualified ahead of their final round group D clash. This is for the first time India has qualified for the Asian Cup in two successive editions, having made the group league exit in the 2019 edition. Overall, India has qualified for the continental showpiece for the fifth time - 1964, 1984, 2011, 2019 and now in 2023.