AFC Asian Cup 2023: Stimac seeks support of fans in ‘second home’ ahead of India vs Uzbekistan

In India’s first game at the AFC Asian Cup, thousands of Indian fans made their way into the stadium and the coach requested a similar reception against Uzbekistan.

Mohit Katiyar and his family in Qatar to support the Blue Tigers. | Photo Credit: Neeladri Bhattacharjee

India’s coach Igor Stimac had called Doha their ‘second home’ after a raucous welcome at the Qatar capital before the AFC Asian Cup 2023.

And before its second group-stage game against Uzbekistan on Thursday, he said that crowd support would play a significant role in swinging the results of the match in India’s favour. 

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“When we played in Kuwait at the opening game of the World Cup qualifiers, there was a huge Indian crowd in an away game. That was the key point why we won that game. More than our performance or self-belief, they were the key reason why we won that game,” Stimac told reporters.

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India, playing its first match in the second round of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, rode on Manvir Singh’s late goal to win its first away game in over 22 years.

“That was a perfect game, not allowing them one single shot on goal, not letting any chance for them to have and controlling the game from the very first whistle until the very last one. So that’s how important they (fans) can be,” Stimac recalled.

In India’s first game at the AFC Asian Cup, thousands of Indian fans made their way into the stadium, with the national team jerseys and the tricolours around their shoulder.

Mohit Katiyar, one of them, had turned up at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium with his children and extended family. “We will support India wherever it plays. Be it cricket or football, we are there to support,” he told Sportstar.

Mohit had come with his wife, a nine-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son and said that he would try to be there for all Indian games in the tournament. 

“We know how passionate they (Indian fans) are about football. We know how passionate a football fan base is in Kerala and we expect them in even larger numbers in this game against Uzbekistan,” Stimac said.

“It’s at a much better kick-off time, much more convenient for them to attend the game and they might be the crucial point for us in this game. And once again, a huge thanks to all of them who attended the (previous) game.”