When goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu walked out for warm-up at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium ahead of the opener against Australia, he was surprised to see fans waving Indian flags and cheering for the national team. This was in faraway Qatar, yet the Indian football team felt at home with over 30,000 fans cheering them. Apart from the hosts, no other team has had such support in the opening round of the AFC Asian Cup.
“It felt incredible with so many cheering for us,” Gurpreet told TOI on Tuesday. “Whenever we play for India and have the privilege of seeing so many people at the stadium, that too away from home, it feels extra special. The support motivates us and helps give everything on the pitch. We enjoy and we want to
