Indian footballers Sahal Abdul Samad and Anwar Ali making India proud

Within 56 seconds of their AFC Asian Cup qualifier match against Hong Kong, the 21-year-old had put India in the lead. The team then registered a 4-0 in the third-round qualifier, at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Winning three matches out of three in Group D gave a nice ending to their campaign. For Anwar Ali, scoring the opener made a massive difference to his career, that almost ended because of his peculiar condition. On Tuesday, he scored his first international goal in his sixth appearance for the national team.

He was in the Indian team at the Under-17 World Cup in 2017 and was signed by Mumbai City in the Indian Super League for INR 30 lakh. After Igor Stimac's entry in 2019, Ali was invited to the national camp for the first time. However, he was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) – where the excessive thickness of the heart muscles can affect the pumping of blood. The condition was witnessed earlier in former Cameroon player Marc Vivien Foe who suffered a fatal heart attack during a Fifa Confederations Cup match in 2003.

Ali was soon released from Mumbai City FC and dropped from his place in the Mohammedan Sporting team where he was later signed. Being the breadwinner of the family that thrived in meager financial conditions, it was tragic for Ali. Shortly after, the doctor who treated Christian Eriksen after the Danish defender collapsed during a Euro 2020 match, examined Ali’s case and declared he could play. Soon, FC Goa hired him under an affidavit that would absolve the federation, ISL and the club of responsibility if anything bad happened. However, Ali is happy to be back after two years in 2021 and has already been named one of the most promising players to look out for. He had scored an impressive free-kick against a junior Argentina side that is a testament to his solid striking abilities. 

Samad looking forward to being a part of the new-look Indian football team

India's second successive qualification for the AFC Asian Cup has given a new sense of confidence to Sahal Abdul Samad who is certain of the arrival of 'new golden era' in Indian football. The team defeated all three opponents in their group in the third and final round of qualifiers in Kolkata. Sahal believes that the upcoming extended domestic season in Indian football will be crucial in preparation for the Asian Cup which is scheduled for 2023.

Samad stressed the importance of game time for players stating that the longer the season is, the better a player gets. It is necessary to get into the rhythm of football. From the 2022-23 season onwards, the Indian football calendar will include nine months. It will kickstart with the Durand Cup in August and end with the Super Cup in May 2023. Apart from Sunil Chhetri, Manvir Singh, Ishan Pandita, and Anwar Ali netted for India against Hong Kong on Tuesday.